Almost 80 percent of online shoppers check user reviews, according to a just-released Consumer Reports poll. You may think user reviews are posted by shoppers just like you and me. But ShopSmart magazine cautions—not all user reviews are objective and independent.
In fact, Lifestyle Lift, a chain of cosmetic surgery clinics, was fined $300,000 because its employees published positive reviews and engaged in deceptive commercial practices.
Consumer Reports ShopSmart says that bloggers are another source of suspect reviews. Some get freebies or payments from companies to say positive things about their products.
The Web site Izea.com brags it has received a million product mentions online with paid bloggers. And it says that compensation can come in the form of cash, gift cards, points, products, or services.
Some warning signs of suspect reviews:
No mention of personal experience with the item.
The reviewer lists only the pros and none of the cons.
Also be on the lookout for sponsorship disclosures, although they can be hard to spot.
Another tip: Don't stop at the first two or three reviews. At least one site, Yelp.com, says it moves a positive review to the top spot if the business pays for it. Bottom line—be skeptical. Before you buy, check lots of sources.
The Federal Trade Commission says it's concerned about what amounts to paid advertising masquerading as user reviews and blogs online. The FTC is expected to release new guidelines soon requiring paid reviews to be clearly identified.
