The Customer is....big boned?

Like most folks, I spend a fair amount of time online.  I'm home ALL DAY. This is how I get big stuff done. I order the kids clothes. I buy furniture. I use all of the cooking websites. I chat with Derrick. We keep Amazon in business...let it not be said that we aren't doing our patriotic duty to stimulate the economy.

And so, since I really want a new dinning room table and chairs I've been looked at some online. I'm not actually going to buy something new - I think I'll just re-stain the one that I have (and love.)  But I've noticed that the art of buying furniture online comes with something both awesome and annoying: customer reviews.  

If I look at new chairs online I might see something like, "These chairs are cute but they are flimsy and broke the first time I sat in one. I'd like to see them have much more structural support." This is good information from some lady in New York who shops at Crate & Barrel six times a year and is a 5Star reviewer. But what's missing is something very important.  How much does she weight?

I think about this all the time and apparently I'm a jerk for wanting a little clarification.  If I weigh less than 500 lbs and you, as a reviewer, weigh more than 500 lbs, well, then we have different needs in chairs. But how am I do know this if the information is lacking in the review?!? 

In a world of information all I want is a little frame of reference, something to qualify all of said info. Everyone likes to blab about themselves all day long online, so lets make some of it useful.

If people want to review a restaurant in the neighborhood I want to know how often they eat out and how often they send food back. And if they've ever worked in the restaurant biz before I trust their judgement. 

If someone complains about a mechanic down the street I want to know how often they change their oil and if they know how to change a flat tire. That should just be a standard qualification before you start complaining about people who know things about cars.

Complaining about a company you've worked for? I want to know how many jobs you've had, how often you're late, and how many days of work you missed while employed there before I believe that the management there is unfair in their personal-leave policy.

Let's start setting some standards here people! A little information goes a long way.