means of obtaining competitive intelligence. There may be other audiences involved in the process such as employees, suppliers, partners, and other relevant parties. Benefits and risks There are a number of benefits to the different parties which make up the crowd. Potential buyers are able to obtain information on products and services prior to making a purchase. Those which have already bought or used the product or service are able to post experiences both positive and negative in order to inform other potential buyers. As an additional benefit to the buyers, buyers may also post negative reviews in hopes of resolving their negative experiences with their seller. Sellers have the benefits of receiving positive feedback and also potentially resolving issues with dissatisfied customers. Competitors are able to learn more about what their competition is doing in order to improve their own products and services. In addition to the benefits associated with crowdreviewing, there are a number of risks and challenges to overcome. For potential buyers there is always the risk that reviews may be sourced by the vendors themselves or other parties paid to leave a specific type of feedback on a product or service. Sellers have the possibility of receiving negative reviews which may in turn negatively influence their reputation and affect their bottom line revenue numbers. Competitors, while enjoying the benefit of being able to learn from their competitors are also subject to their competitors learning about their positives and negatives. Limitations and controversies Size of the Crowd One of the major factors influencing crowdreviewing is the size of the crowd involved. A crowdreviewing venture is positively influenced by having a large number of parties leave reviews and feedback on products and services. In cases where a small number of individuals leave their feedback, more weight is placed on an individual reviewer or opinion and could therefore be of minimal value to potential customers. A smaller sample of reviews may also exhibit bias towards or against the product or service. Industry Knowledge A common limitation of allowing all parties to have an opportunity to review a product or service may involve having reviews written without a minimal or meaningful understanding of the product or service. A lack of industry or specialized knowledge may in turn minimize the value of a review or potentially inversely affect what would be considered a fair review. Seller Manipulation With allowing multiple parties