Amazon Fake Reviews
The reviews customers leave for products on Amazon are highly valuable. Sellers rely on them to establish a reputation and customers use them to inform their purchases. As a result, many people have tried to manipulate reviews or create blatantly false reviews. In the past, Amazon allowed “incentivized reviews,” which are reviews posted in exchange for a discount or free product. The reviewer had to explicitly say that the review was incentivized. Now, the Amazon community guidelines do not allow incentivized reviews outside of the Amazon Vine program.
With Vine, Amazon offers invitations to select “trusted” reviewers to post reviews for new and pre-release goods. Amazon does not offer an incentive for star ratings or have an influence on the review.
Amazon states the reviews on their platform, “provide a forum for sharing authentic feedback about products and services – positive or negative.”
Amazon’s Anti-Manipulation Policy for Customer Reviews
The Anti-Manipulation Policy for Customer Reviews prohibits anyone from trying to manipulate reviews by posting false or misleading content in a review. Amazon will suspend or terminate your account, and remove reviews and listings if the policy is violated.
The company can possibly freeze the money in your account, too, or deem it forfeited.
Amazon also advises that legal action may result from violating any state or federal laws and/or the Federal Trade Commission Act. According to Amazon, they file lawsuits against those who try to buy fake reviews, as well as the people who created the reviews.
Reviews are the foundation of consumer trust. Amazon has such a strict policy regarding review manipulation because they want to protect that trust. Maintaining an honest review system is beneficial to Amazon overall as it encourages customers to keep shopping. Sellers also appreciate legitimate reviews because their reputation depends on them.
Amazon Sellers Rely on Genuine Reviews to Build Trust
To give a discount or a free product in exchange for a review goes against Amazon’s policy. Moreover, a review for a free product or discount of 50% or more means the review will not be marked as a Verified Purchase. Sellers are prohibited from making a review trade with another seller, posting reviews for goods they may financially benefit from, requesting someone write a positive review, having family or friends post a review, and paying for reviews.
Just this year, Amazon stated two “fake review brokers were found guilty of illegal business operations intended to deceive Amazon customers and harm Amazon selling partners through the facilitation of fake reviews.” From 2021 to 2022, the defendants who were based in China sold fake reviews to “bad actors.” The brokers posted fake positive and negative reviews to manipulate rankings. They were brought to justice as a result of a police investigation and an Amazon-supported criminal referral.
Fake or incentivized reviews have a major impact on the success of Amazon sellers. The moment a customer reads a false review, they can be unfairly persuaded and make decisions about their purchases based on wrong information. The end result is honest customers buying goods or services that fall short of expectations, as well as an erosion of trust in the marketplace. As an Amazon seller, you should be on the lookout for fake reviews – they can damage your reputation and negatively affect your sales.
Fake or Manipulated Amazon Review Claims Can Result in Suspension
The decisions Amazon customers make are largely influenced by reviews. There are several AI tools available to sellers, which can help find reviews that may not be genuine. Sellers can also observe review trends and note that abnormalities in review-behavior might suggest suspicious activity. It may be beneficial to analyze the verified purchase reviews in comparison with potentially fake reviews. Real reviews are generally posted by consumers who truly purchased the product in question. If sellers believe they have discovered an issue with fake reviews, they can report that to Amazon. Sellers should encourage their customers to write legitimate reviews. Keeping yourself educated on Amazon’s guidelines and updates concerning reviews is also a good proactive approach.
If your Amazon account was suspended or disrupted in any way by a claim of fake reviews, you may need legal counsel. You will need to submit an Amazon suspension appeal. As mentioned in our Amazon Suspended Account article, that appeal should include a Plan of Action letter, supported by documentation. If you want to get your Amazon seller account reinstated, you must address the fake review allegations. Sellers facing these claims need to prove with evidence that they did not purchase fake reviews, or had anything to do with a larger plan to manipulate reviews.
The team at Stockman & Poropat, PLLC has extensive experience assisting clients in the Amazon selling space. We may be able to offer you the help you need to get your account reinstated following a suspension. We want you to achieve the greatest possible heights as an Amazon seller. Contact us for a free consultation today!
