How to tell genuine product reviews from the paid or fake ones
Customer Experience Concept. Woman lying on Bed to Reading Online Review via Smartphone before Buying Products and Services, More Positive Feedback on Mobile Screen
Those reviews, the ones scrolling out in kilometres under the description of something you’ve alighted on online? Have you ever wondered about that weepy, exaggerated gushing praise?
Spoiler alert – reviews of everything from a steam mop to an app-tickled juicer should be treated (at least initially) with acute suspicion. The verbiage may be noticeably awkward. The sentences will run on, prickled with odd punctuation and sentence constructions. Russia, India and several other countries have profitable industries based around bot review farms. With the additional intrusion of AI, this forest of fakery is likely to become more deceptive and polished.
For an inside look at what’s involved in online marketing, I watched the fascinating social experiment “Fake Famous” (Sky Documentaries). This set up three ordinary Americans as Instagram stars, riding on phoney “likes” bought via credit card by the director of the film, Nick Bilton. Bot likes and monetised product placement are part of what Bilton refers to as the “hamster wheel” of this online existence. In just the way these young wannabes are prepped for an online audience, hysterically delighted reviews and social media “likes” are purchased in tranches and attached to household goods. It works.
Scroll through customer reviews, ignoring large runs of five-star reviews. A real review reads as genuine. It may have only four out of five stars and will be calm, balanced and authentic with more granular detail about that shower/floor/paint/furniture. A fake review will read like what we term “advertorial” – it appears to be an ad’ because it is.
Even with the feedback of flesh and blood users, people are people, and we can be spiteful. If a widget breaks on the new vacuum, some consumers will be intent on revenge and will take that outrage to shrill, inappropriate levels. Unscrupulous firms will aim a terrible review or set of reviews towards wrecking a competing product. Terrible reviews of something or someone otherwise getting good (honest) reviews should be held up to the light. Does the reviewer revel in complaining? Did the supplier promptly address their problem? Before you cheerfully gut a small Irish firm for a single failing on Google Business, talk to the business first. A horrendous review of one unintentional transgression in communication, a slip in service or a faulty product can do immense damage.
What about newspapers? What is termed “sponsored” and “affiliate content” is paid for advertising or some sort of deal between the supplier and publisher. Writing editorial content, a writer with integrity does not look for, or accept anything of any real value. Once we do that, we are in the pocket of the firm making the thing. There are then expectations. Yes, we are offered goods and services – sometimes stuff just arrives on the doorstep (if I cannot return it, I give these pieces to charity). Even the appearance of impropriety is something most journalists are very careful to guard against. Yes, we have brands, designers, authors and products we prefer – but if you are sent a toaster to play with, it’s generally collected by courier following the review. Journalism is not the steady, heady, glamorous round of champagne-drenched, product launches and mountains of gift bags people imagine.
What newspaper writers do have is experience in their field – a holistic understanding of a product group, the history and standing of a brand, the notice of a new range release, and professional contacts with the industry. The research is there, and this can shorten your search for a thing. Like you – we do follow and value real customer reviews. I want to hear if that colour-changing, front-loading German washer some maker is pushing, is consistently leaking over the course of a year.
This leads us back to “influencer” reviews with fake or real celebrity beings dwelling online. We need to examine that word – influencer. Some influencers have become journalists. Some journalists have become influencers. The word “influencer” is a marketing word, and many are vital cogs in the promotion of all sorts of goods from cleaning sprays to hair dryers. This is e-commerce at its best and its worst.
Most influencers and writers posting on Instagram, TikTok etc., will ensure their viewers know that they are watching sponsored content before they start raving on about something sent to them with the understanding a glowing review will appear online. Similarly, they will often state they have not received a financial gratuity (but did they get something that wasn’t money – like the product itself or a trip to Paris?). Some Youtubers are monetised via general advertising on their channels. This allows them to give proper, nuanced reviews for products, services and holidays they have actually paid for as a result. These voices are more trustworthy in the main.
The vast number of posters make little to no proper income from this work – it’s a side gig. What they thrive on and enjoy is the river of freebies – some requested, others simply offered up to them. These are not therefore independent reviews – they are transactional.
Could an influencer rubbish something they were sent to review? Yes, but it might put a dampener on further ballast turning up in padded envelopes and partnership deals. Celebrity endorsements? These are often fake. Even RTÉ stars in news and radio have found their name, picture and phoney quotes splattered up online. Again, where a celebrity is partnered with a brand – they are being paid and rewarded in various ways. It’s an infomercial.
The European Consumer Centre of Ireland advise, “Businesses have turned to influencers to promote products or services which in itself is not a problem. What is a problem is not making it clear to consumers that a review/endorsement on social media and other mediums is paid-for and not just the influencer graciously deciding that this is her fav'/essential/must-buy - face cream – just like the 100 or so other favourite face creams in a space of just a few days.” They advise us to use these paid promotions only in “- conjunction with other research” when choosing a product to buy. “It against European consumer law to pretend to be a consumer when you’re not.” eccireland.ie
Dedicated magazines with an online presence and specialist writers like TechRadar are brilliant for finding say the best television or laptop, and with online content the archives are extensive. Journalists will have their prejudice, for example, a computer columnist may be a known “Apple-boy”. Do your own research. Together with real customer reviews, plus reviews by specialist writers and vloggers, ask around dedicated Facebook and WhatsApp groups for recommendations for professionals, trades, products or experiences of the latest DIY or tech’ releases. You might get a huge variety of responses – so be prepared for the moaner who cannot be pleased by anything.
My two favourite independent product review tools where I have no reason to believe that the pressure of advertising is intruding on their results are: The Good Housekeeping Institute, goodhousekeeping.com, (evaluating products and consumer alerts) and of course the iconic which.co.uk – fantastic for white goods, televisions and so much more. For real customer-generated reviews? Trustpilot is widely respected for free, un-moderated reviews and content integrity, with fraud detection software and monitors in place to remove fake reviews, ie.trustpilot.com.
