![]() ![]() This essentially breaks down most fakes into either positive or negative posting. When analyzing fake online reviews, the majority of them fall into one of two categories – businesses astroturfing for their own gain or those working to sabotage their competition. But it is not much of a stretch to chart how easily these fake reviews could have a more serious impact on purchases made or lost. Granted, the stakes for every product are not this dire or extreme – a false positive review for a pizzeria means a bad meal or, at worst, food poisoning. Now, hopefully that parent would never find themselves in a situation where the efficacy of their child’s car seat was tested, but what happens if that day does come and they find they in fact have a shoddy piece equipment rather than the highly safe and tested product they trusted on false pretenses? We’ll leave the rest up to your imagination. A parent then reads those fake reviews and, having no reason to believe the reviews aren’t true, buys that car seat for their baby. Sure, the monetary woes that can ensue from making a purchase based on misleading feedback may very well be frustrating, but these false reviews could have even more serious implications.įor example, let’s assume that a company selling low-quality child car seats produces a number of fake reviews touting their product as one with superior safety capabilities when in reality, it is not. With fakes also stirred into the mix, however, it has substantial implications on the everyday lives of consumers and companies alike. With data like this, it’s clear to see why a business would want to have more positive reviews, but the promulgation of these fake reviews poses a serious threat to consumers who use this feedback as a primary tool when deciding how to spend their hard-earned money.Īs online reviews have grown more commonplace, they’ve also grown to be more implicitly trustworthy. In addition, those individuals are likely to spend an average of 31 percent more on a business whose reviews are stellar. Are fake reviews bad?Įvery consumer on the web today should care about fake reviews and the skewed perceptions – both positive and negative – that they can cause for potential customers making a purchasing decision.Īccording to data compiled by Invesp, 90 percent of surveyed consumers reported checking online reviews before deciding to buy a product of service. The AG’s office reached settlements with the companies and levied fines as a deterrent, but astroturfing campaigns still happen today, and often by businesses that seem otherwise reputable. In 2013, an undercover investigation by the New York State Attorney General’s Office called “Operation Clean Turf” found 19 companies across the state guilty of writing fake online reviews for either themselves or the companies they represented. When viewed in context alongside real reviews, these fakes are often easy to spot. ![]() This practice is illegal for businesses and the agencies that represent them to engage in, but it still happens with some regularity today. The goal of these campaigns is to influence perception by staging what resembles genuine public interest – whether it be positive or negative – in a company’s products or services when there really is none. In the world of marketing and advertising, astroturfing refers to “campaigns or messages that appear to be naturally occurring, but are actually being defined by a company,” says Big Commerce. Falsified product or service reviews rose to prominence as popular review sites like Yelp, Facebook and Google My Business grew in popularity, opening the door to fake reviews – what has become known as an opportunistic “astroturfing” tactic. The practice of posting fake reviews about businesses can be extremely detrimental to both the companies engaging in these shady practices and the consumers who are led to purchase a product or service they would have otherwise avoided based on true feedback. However, as with most new opportunities, new ways to game the system are sure to follow. ![]() That is, if they are providing great products and services. ![]() This expansion is a great opportunity for businesses – especially the more web savvy ones – to vastly increase their reach and potential consumer base. In recent years, online review sites have revolutionized word-of-mouth advertising and the value of a customer referral by infinitely expanding access to provide feedback and input on products and services to customers from all corners of the world. ![]()
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