According to research conducted by the UK consumer body Which?, approximately 10% of Amazon shoppers may have been offered incentives in exchange for positive product reviews in the past year. Which? has accused unscrupulous Amazon sellers of inundating customers with bribes, including gift cards, free products, and refunds, as a means of “gaming the system”. In response, Amazon stated that it has strict policies in place to prevent review abuse.
Which?’s survey, carried out in July among over 1,500 adults in Great Britain, revealed that 10% of respondents who had made purchases on Amazon in the previous 12 months received notes or cards in product packaging offering incentives for leaving five-star reviews. In addition, 8% reported being asked by sellers, via email or other communication channels, to leave five-star reviews in exchange for rewards. Approximately 4% of those surveyed claimed they were offered incentives to change negative reviews into positive ones.
Examples cited by Which? include one individual receiving £50 in Amazon vouchers and a full refund for leaving a positive review, and another finding a letter in the box of a handheld vacuum cleaner offering a £10 gift card in exchange for a five-star review.
The UK government is currently examining ways to tackle fake reviews through new powers outlined in the digital markets, competition and consumers bill. Which? has called on ministers to criminalize hosting reviews without taking adequate measures to ensure their authenticity.
Rocio Concha, director of policy and advocacy at Which?, emphasized the need for action from Amazon and other review-hosting websites to combat fake reviews effectively, stating, “Amazon and other review-hosting websites need to step up and do more to banish fake reviews from their platforms.”
An Amazon spokesperson responded, stating that the company has policies in place to prohibit review abuse and that sellers are not allowed to directly contact customers to offer incentives for altering reviews. Amazon claimed to have already taken action against the sellers identified by Which? and removed a number of reviews prior to the publication of the report.
In June, Amazon revealed that shoppers were being deceived due to insufficient efforts by social media platforms and messaging apps to prevent fraudulent practices in soliciting fake reviews. The company also stated that it proactively blocked over 200 million suspected fake reviews last year.
This week, the US Federal Trade Commission and 17 state attorneys general filed a lawsuit against Amazon, alleging that the company engaged in anti-competitive practices by inflating prices on other platforms and disadvantaging sellers. Amazon has pushed back against the lawsuit, arguing that it would harm consumers by leading to higher prices and slower deliveries.
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