Thoughts on reviews.

It's always nice to see a four and a half or five star review on Amazon, but why don't more people review?

I know why. They're lazy. I know this, because I don't often review on Amazon, although I do tend to post (generally very belated due to the state of my to be read pile) reviews here on this blog. (I also seem to remember reading something about Amazon frowning on publishers reviewing 'similar items', but I can't find it now).

But I think there's something else going on. There are very few reviews...but they're all good reviews. I wonder if customers are afraid to write bad reviews? Are they worried they might get snapped at by the writer? (Some writers are unprofessional enough to do this). Are people caught up in the 'If you can't say anything good, don't say anything at all' mindset?

Thoughts?