There would be no online shopping as we know it today if our generation hadn’t approved it. That may sound audacious, but it is largely true.
We participated in the evolution of the digital marketplace. We adapted as shopping moved from traditional markets to malls, from malls to websites, and from websites to one-click delivery at our door.
Today, before spending even 500 rupees or 50 riyals, we study ratings. We scroll through one-star warnings and five-star praise. We zoom into photos. We cross-check platforms. We depend deeply on the voices of strangers.
Yet when the product finally arrives, we rarely leave our opinion — whether it delights us or disappoints us. We trust reviews enough to make decisions with our money, but hesitate to contribute one with our words.
We resist acknowledging that in this digital world, a review is a form of voting.
When we vote, we understand that a single action feels small, but collectively it shapes direction. Online, a review does the same. It strengthens what deserves to grow and questions what needs improvement.
When most people stay silent, a small group defines the narrative. Silence feels neutral, but it rarely is.
Someone may spend hard-earned money on something we could have warned them about. A sincere business may remain invisible because appreciation was never expressed publicly.
As we shape this digital marketplace and benefit from it every day, the least we can do is leave it clearer than we found it.
Because every time we choose silence, someone else’s voice becomes the majority. In a world shaped by algorithms, reviews ensure that buyers still have access to authentic information before making a choice.
