You can’t always trust review websites

Although the internet is a wonderfully democratic resource, the sheer volume of content is often overwhelming.

There are around 1.34 billion websites currently online, and as a consequence, finding definitive sources of information about a business, product or service can feel daunting.

Review websites claim to simplify the process by offering the general public the opportunity to share their experiences and provide basic ratings for products and services – and their providers.

Yet while price comparison sites like BroadbandDeals only publish available contracts, product review websites are more prone to manipulation.

This includes review websites deleting critical opinions when companies pay them to, and fake reviews being uploaded en masse to artificially inflate aggregate rankings.

Below, we consider how and why review websites are being deceived (or deceiving us), before explaining how to identify genuine reviews.

Pilot episode

Some reputedly trustworthy review websites enable companies to remove reviews they don’t like, either by paying or by triggering complaints procedures.

One of the leading review portals may take down a negative review from a consumer if the business in question claims it’s not based on a genuine experience.

If the consumer is able to prove authenticity (typically by supplying emails, invoices, photos and/or timelines to a dispute resolution team), it’s likely to be reinstated.

Yet if the business reports the review a second time, even if their complaint is identical and ignores any subsequent evidence to the contrary, it may be permanently removed.

Essentially, the business gets to censor negative reviews by repeatedly flagging them as false, ensuring only the comments they approve of remain visible.

Conversely, there is a long history of companies getting staff, volunteers or associates to game the system by writing glowing testimonials on their behalf.

Nowadays, AI is capable of generating such platitudes within seconds, which can then be parachuted into numerous third-party websites and portals.

Fake reviews often appear on the world’s biggest ecommerce websites, typically targeting low-value products from brands British consumers haven’t heard of.

A 4.5-star average rating might just convince someone to make a purchase. Indeed, the fake review industry reportedly influences over $150 billion of online spending each year.

Remember that next time you glance at a star rating and make a snap buying decision.

Taken on trust

You can’t be too cynical in these post-truth times of rampant affiliate marketing and deceptive reviews, but there are some telltale signs.

Firstly, don’t put all your trust in one portal. Check Reddit threads and Google reviews, search broadsheet newspaper articles, and ask friends/relatives/neighbours/colleagues for their thoughts.

One-star reviews may have been written out of spite, but five-star reviews may also be fake, particularly if they haven’t been verified as genuine transactions.

How many products in your home are genuinely excellent, as opposed to merely good? How many businesses have you dealt with where customer service couldn’t have been bettered?

Two/three/four-star reviews are unlikely to have been written by a bot or a corporate shill, presenting a balanced analysis which is more likely to aid your decision-making process.

Another telltale giveaway among fake reviews is praise of specific employees.

Genuine reviewers rarely namedrop individual staff members, so it’s a red flag if the same name keeps cropping up (unless that person is a guest rep in a hotel or holiday resort).

Be suspicious of glowing testimonials by people who haven’t written any other reviews. Why would you create a profile, eulogise about one brand or product and then never return?

Brevity is another sign of insincerity, as are claims like “this is the best ever” or “it made my day”. Few things in life deserve this level of praise, and few people speak like that.

If a website lists the dates reviews were published, look for batches of glowing reviews published in quick succession, suggesting a hasty attempt to elevate rankings.

Conversely, consider if anything’s missing. Was there a long period of time where no reviews were published? Are key topics consistently overlooked? Does anybody mention aftersales?

Considering how much more likely people are to complain about something than to praise it, it’s unlikely any brand or business will have received no bad reviews whatsoever…