An opinion is an opinion...stop being so touchy

I have been eating gluten free for almost 13 years now and the one thing that remains constant with the gluten-free diet is that all pallets are not created equal. I have been working as a GF Product Specialist for 3 1/2 years, so I get paid to eat and make recommendations on products the store should carry. I don't like all of the products we carry at the store, but we are very customer service oriented, so we bring in the products needed to meet customer demand.

I admit that I have a hard time selling products that are not my favorite, but I would not go out of my way to prevent anyone from buying a product (only if it isn't gluten free) that I don't like, or talk negatively about said product.

Recently I have been surprised to see how many people are taking their review of a product, or their opinion as fact and get offended if you don't agree. Liking or not liking a product is very subjective and it is based on your individual experience with the product. Providing feedback or a review does not and should not equate to influencing someones opinion on a product. Everyone should form their own opinion on a product based on actual experience.

Additionally, a person should not be attacked for their opinion or review of a product. Everyone is allowed to speak their mind and they are not always going to agree on any given topic, but that doesn't mean that they are trying to influence you to purchase or not purchase a product.

Also, don't comment on a product if you have not tried it personally. I have experienced this recently where someone will post feedback from a third party. Why would you do that? Let the person who has the feedback provide their own opinion.

Going forward, bloggers and people who write on websites will have to disclose if they were sent free samples to review and if they have any level of relationship with the company.

Let's just agree to disagree and stop attacking each other. There is nothing I hate more than having to defend my opinion and I shouldn't be put in that position.