When are people going to learn that when you waste time trying to get around the established system that you end up worse off in the long run? Amazon just filed suit against hundreds of individuals who were trying to profit from writing fake reviews. These individuals or companies were dangling the idea of positive Amazon product reviews in front of Amazon sellers for as little as $5. It is just another example of how people try to take short cuts instead of using best practices to get things done the right way. Long term success can never be achieved through underhanded acts and short cuts.
This round of lawsuits is the second time this year that Amazon is suing fake reviewers. In this case, they easily found the culprits publicly advertising on the the website Fiverr, where people offer services for just $5. In most cases you can get a logo, or maybe a product evaluation, but offering to review a product you’ve never used just to help boost a seller’s ratings is definitely a form of cheating. In some cases, reviewers tried to get around the loophole by asking for a coupon code for a free product so that they could then list the review as a verified customer. Marketplaces, brands, and retailers have a tough battle when it comes to overcoming fraudulent reviews for their competition. In addition to helping sales and conversions for their products, high quantities of positive reviews actually hold weight in Amazon’s and Google’s algorithms. In some ways, you can’t blame some sellers and retailers for joining the battle by enlisting review writers when it seems like such an uphill battle against those who regularly pay for fake reviews and then have an increase in sales as a results.
Luckily, Amazon and other forces are cracking down on this behaviour. Google and other review sites like Yelp enlists algorithms to detect fake reviewers including using IP addresses, the tone, and the language of the writer. When they are able to pinpoint negative reviews, they discredit, hide, or delete the accounts that are in violation of these terms of services and best practices.
What can legitimate sellers and retailers do? Besides offering excellent products and delivering the best customer service possible, it is perfectly fine to ask for reviews and even offer a coupon off their next order when asking for a review. However, the reward cannot be contingent on leaving a review. So you have to give them the coupon code regardless of whether or not they leave a review and the review doesn’t even have to be positive. Another way that retailers can ensure good feedback is to listen to that genuine feedback from your customers and use it to identify potential problems with products or services and make the necessary corrections.
If you require further information or have any specific questions, don’t hesitate to give a member of the GoPromotional team a call on 0800 0148 970 or simply email us today.
