Though Biases are Still Prevalent, Online Review Sites Are Getting More Consumer Stars
Though Biases are Still Prevalent, Online Review Sites Are Getting More Consumer Stars
A recent Kiplinger’s magazine survey has found that review sites such as Amazon and Yelp are faring better when it comes to how consumers feel about the legitimacy and credibility of their content. Reasons for the change are primarily due to a decrease in fraudulent ratings as a result of the sites’ insistence that a reviewer has actually purchased the product or service, as well as an increase in the use of software filters that remove or discredit reviews that are promotional, contain a compensated endorsement, mention a competitor, or seem to be manipulated in some other way.
In an effort to address complaints about misleading reviews, Amazon recently filed lawsuits against sites which guaranteed its sellers four- and five-star ratings for a fee. And Yelp, accused of requiring sellers to purchase ads in return for having negative reviews quashed and other coercive ad sales practices, has had most of the suits dismissed.
The survey did find one thing that can’t be manipulated by site administrators or addressed by software and lawyers: natural human bias. In my experience with contributors to online discussions, most of them are apt to express a negative opinion than a positive one. On review sites where the interaction is with a product or service instead of another person, the survey (and several others) found that ratings clump in the upper tiers (almost 70% of all Yelp reviews give a rating of four or five stars) rather than lower ones. The speculation for this phenomenon is because reviewers buy things and go places where there is a predisposition toward an enjoyable experience and part of that experience is writing favorably about it (or liking or sharing it).
Even though the current storm clouds seem to be less ominous for review sites, there is a continuing need for moderation. There will always be attempts to get around the filters and moderators are trained to make sure the reviews you see are honest and authentic. Mzinga moderators have many years of experience monitoring review sites and can help you not only increase the accuracy and truthfulness of reviews, but improve your reputation for caring about your customers.
