Consumer Reports App Review
$4.99 for iPhone
Not available for Android
Description
Consumer Reports is an iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch app that's been designed to give you the tools necessary to make informed purchases. The way it operates is relatively simple: just scan the barcode of an item you're considering buying (whether you're at a grocery store, electronics store, auto parts store or wherever) and get immediate access to detailed information about that product. Consumer Reports compares ratings with similar models, tells you who else has the item in stock nearby and for how much, where you can buy it online, what customers are saying about its quality, and the product's official Consumer Reports rating. You can also search for a product by manually searching the app database.
The Good
This isn't just an application that throws a bunch of online data in your direction and expects you to make heads or tails out of it all on your own. Every single product that's rated on both the app and the app's parent website has been tested by Consumer Reports experts. In other words, what you see isn't just an amalgam of independent customer reviews, but an actual endorsement and estimation of value. Whether or not this does anything for you depends on your prior experiences, but for most people it's seen as a more legitimate indicator of quality.
The Bad
If the $4.99 price tag for the download isn't bad enough, Consumer Reports adds insult to injury by making the access good for only 12 months. There's no auto renew, which is a good thing, but for a price this steep and with the limitations of product ratings that have been reported by customers, this is one app that could do with a serious price readjustment.
The Bottom Line
If you're going to be moving, whether you're stocking up on packing equipment or buying tools to help set up your new home, you want to be sure that every dollar you spend is a sound investment. As you're probably already aware, moving can be an incredibly costly experience and now's the time to tighten the belt and see how much you can squeeze from your budget. Consumer Reports is an app for moving that can help you make educated spending decisions, but there are also less-costly (and free) applications that can do the same.
Image credit: iTunes
