70% of our prospective clients here at Avenue 7 Media always ask us two questions: How can we get them more sales, and how to get them more product reviews?
Amazon reviews have become so crucial in driving sales that some sellers are desperate to get them through any means.
This has led to the enormous challenge of fake reviews. It’s not uncommon to see a brand with 900 reviews after selling just 100 orders in 30 days. Do the math.
Honest businesses selling great products and getting legitimate reviews are left wondering what else they should do to compete.
Amazon has tried tackling this problem with its TOS and other means, but it remains a problem. The Federal Trade Commission is considering new rules regarding fake online reviews.
In this episode, Shannon and I talk about Amazon product reviews, the challenges for brands and sellers to get legitimate product reviews, how Amazon is vetting (or not vetting) those reviews properly, and what the FTC is doing about product review manipulation.
The Fake Reviews Problem
Product reviews are the required social proof for customers on Amazon. It’s almost like the last thing a customer needs to read before deciding whether to buy a certain product or not.
Because reviews are so heavily weighted in customer purchase behavior, sellers have always looked for an “edge” to get more and better reviews over competitors (in addition to just having a great product).
Over the years, the methods to attain product reviews have become increasingly sophisticated, but the fundamental issue remains: many sellers are playing by the rules, and many bad actors aren’t creating an uneven playing field.
The New FTC Rules to Combat Fake Online Reviews
Product reviews are not just an Amazon TOS issue; review manipulation is overseen by the Federal Trade Commission.
The new leadership of the FTC is dead serious about regulating the malpractices around product reviews across the internet, not just on Amazon.
Deceptive and manipulated reviews and endorsements cheat consumers looking for real feedback on a product or service and undercut honest businesses.
The intention is to curb issues such as fake reviews, suppressing negative reviews, and paying for positive reviews.
So before thinking of doing any deceptive stuff on Amazon or even on your own eCommerce website, just know you might be violating federal law.
The best way to get legal, authentic reviews is to sell great products and ask for a review. Don’t ask for a good review; just ask your customer to share their thoughts.
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