The Review Overload: Why Ratings Make Choices Messier, Not Easier

More people treat every purchase or outing as a research project, relying on a flood of reviews and AI- summarized opinions. While the democratization of information helps, it also fuels choice paralysis and reduces spontaneity, with fake reviews and biased AI surfacing muddy signals. Experts advise clarifying personal goals before browsing to balance useful guidance with cognitive economy—the aim being good-enough choices that feel right rather than endlessly optimizing for the absolute best.