Amazon changes policy to eliminate incentivised reviews

[Saracen]

£10 is £10, ....

I did write my original review in all honesty, not expecting anything back from the company. 3 stars was fair enough for a cheap bit of tat that was usable if you could ignore the quirks. The money back was a nice offer, which they didn't have to do - it was good customer service in my opinion - so what if they get something out of it as well?

Ever hear the old adage, variously attributed to everybody from Groucho Marx to Winston Churchill ...

GROUCHO (to woman seated next to him at an elegant dinner party): Would you sleep with me for ten million dollars?

WOMAN (giggles and responds): Oh, Groucho, of course I would.

GROUCHO; How about doing it for fifteen dollars?

WOMAN (indignant): Why, what do you think I am?

GROUCHO: That’s already been established. Now we’re just haggling about the price.



Perhaps my view on this is coloured by having spent 25+ years as a freelance journalist, including writing several thoussnd product reviews, but I wouldn't dream of amending a "review" in their favour if the company producing the product offered me a bung, and it wouldn't matter how big the bung was.

If I review a product, the reader ALWAYS gets my genuine, considered opinion based on an impartial examination and testing of the product. I wouldn't change that opinion if the publication asked me to (see note), never mind the company producing the product.

Clearly, a "professional" review by someone paid to test and review isn't quite the same as a user review, but nonetheless, my ethos is that if I give a "user review" that's amended for money, then it's more advert than review. And pretending it's still MY opinion is a deception.

Not once in that 25 years has the producer of any product ever offered incentives to colour a review. There were two or three times when I felt or suspected a remark might be sounding me out, but I either ignored it or obliquely shot it down ... and warned the editor of my suspicion.

If I'm writing a "review" that's better than my opinion honestly is, it's an advert not a review, and I don't write ad copy. If I did, it would be openly for ad's, not for ad's masquerading as reviews.

By "change the review" I mean change to tone, opinions or conclusion. I have changed the length of a review, where the product justified either a longer or shorter review, at the request of an editor.

[Hallgrim]

Fantastic news, the other week I was browsing for a USB wifi adapter and ever single review was 5 star with the disclaimer I was provided this sample for a fair and honest review blah blah,

it was getting beyond a joke...

[TooNice]

I did write my original review in all honesty, not expecting anything back from the company. 3 stars was fair enough for a cheap bit of tat that was usable if you could ignore the quirks. The money back was a nice offer, which they didn't have to do - it was good customer service in my opinion - so what if they get something out of it as well?

In my opinion, it depends on the wording. At it's worse, it's essentially a bribe. If they offered an unconditional refund, with a note along the line that they would -appreciate- it if you would take service into account (but no obligation), I think it is fair game.

It would be better if the system allowed you to rate the product and service separately though.

[Spud1]

Sadly this won't fix the "problem" - it will just mean that more of the sellers will move to a refund based incentive structure than a promo code system.

I am one of those who writes reviews in exchange for free products - although personally I retain my integrity and I have given 1* and 3* reviews for some of the products when they genuinely are rubbish. Mostly I am sent various USB cables, chargers, power packs, cases etc..nothing high value but it's nice regardless. I am provided with them in a variety of ways - usually the supplier gives me a promo code which discounts the item 100% and I order it myself, sometimes they order on my behalf (skipping that step) or occasionally I will buy the item and they refund via paypal up-front. They always arrive from amazon linked to my account though, so that the review shows up as a "verified purchase".

They require me to wait 10 days from delivery prior to posting a review, which does allow me to use the item for a reasonable period and pick up any initial faults...and the negative reviews I have posted (one of some headphones that were rubbish, and one of a cable to broke after a week) have not affected the relationship.

Not everyone is so honest about this though and many do post 5* reviews just because they think they will get more free stuff..when with reputable sellers, it doesn't really work that way. I'll be interested to see if I can continue this relationship or not going forward. I am not far off getting a decent enough ranking to get to Vine, but for the moment can't quite join that just yet

Really not sure how you can really stop the fake reviews though - the only way I can think of is to make more of a review ranking/rating system to let the community decide, OR improve the moderation process. Most fake reviews are so easy to spot tbh, and Amazon do take them down on occasion.