Online sellers 'pay for positive reviews'

This seems to have become much more of an issue in the last year or so. I use both ReviewMeta and Fakespot to check for fake Amazon reviews. They give an adjusted rating for a product by removing the possible fake reviews.

 

Absolutely no surprises here. Mankind (at least in the corporate world) has tossed aside morals and "doing what's right" in exchange for materialistic and monetary gain.The world has gone to hell in a hand basket.

 

Yup. It's just getting worse the more time goes forward so we can expect (if not already in full swing) plenty of BRIBES for satisfactory high reviews etc.

 

The question is if Amazon is honest in determining who is honest?

 

As an Amazon long term customer I can say that factual reviews are mostly improving but you still are left with some hesitations.

Only way to determine is take them up on the return policy if something doesn't quite pan out to expectations and relay that back to them in clear print be it personal letterhead or other.

They are a business and must take into consideration their repeat customers as well as their high roller spenders. Obviously they break them down onto pools of types of customers per quantity of sales to larger spending clients from the occasional drop in their bucket column.

 

These two websites can be helpful in analyzing Amazon reviews:

https://www.fakespot.com/

https://reviewmeta.com/

 

I use the Chrome extensions for both of them.

 

Hey Roger!!! 10Q to the nth for those lynx. However, I'm surprised that you use Chrumb -- er, I meant Chrome.

 

Well I use a use a Chrome based browser (360 Extreme Explorer) as it handles tabs the way I want, without having to use extensions to do so. But, of course I do use some extensions, such as these ones for example.

 

FTC Approves Final Consent Orders with Five Companies that Allegedly Violated the Consumer Review Fairness Act
August 16, 2019
https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/pre...final-consent-orders-five-companies-allegedly

 

Review fraud: Hijacked Amazon reviews a big problem says Consumer Reports
The fake reviews problem on Amazon isn't going away any time soon
August 27, 2019
https://searchengineland.com/review...ws-a-big-problem-says-consumer-reports-321087

 

These "Amazon’s Choice" Sellers Are Bribing Customers For Good Reviews
Some sellers offer gift cards or freebies to customers in exchange for five-star reviews
October 9, 2019
https://www.buzzfeednews.com/articl...azons-choice-sellers-bribe-customers-for-good

 

When I am shopping at Amazon, I like to read the 1-star reviews. I have gradually come to the conclusion that more than a few sellers offer incentives for posting negative reviews of competing products.

 

I just tried the fakespot ext and watched it go through its checks. What I found interesting is it apparently looks at the review history for reviewers to seemingly determine if they're posting fake reviews. Pretty interesting. I changed some wish list items based on the feedback. Thanks for this.

 

The Truth About the “Amazon’s Choice” Badge, Which Should Not Be Trusted
The Wall Street Journal does not think it means what you think it means
December 23, 2019
https://www.insidehook.com/daily_brief/news-opinion/why-not-to-rely-on-amazons-choice-badge

The Wall Street Journal: ‘Amazon’s Choice’ Isn’t the Endorsement It Appears [paywalled]

 

Sellers Buy Fake Reviews To Survive Fierce Competition On Amazon
Amazon, Zomato, Flipkart have been working on deleting fake reviews using ML algorithms
December 26, 2019
https://inc42.com/buzz/sellers-buy-fake-reviews-to-survive-fierce-competition-on-amazon/