Before purchasing a product on an online sales site, all consumers rely on the comments and opinions of previous buyers. But sometimes these biased.
More than one consumer has already had this painful experience when receiving the ordered package at their home. When opening the box, the product does not at all correspond to the praise written on the product or the brand. This summer, Stéphanie bought a guest dress for a wedding on the AliExpress website. “The photos were really pretty, the comments were all positive, but when I received the dress, it didn’t fit at all: the color was dull, no support, I threw 60 euros in the trash! confides the very disappointed young woman to us.
Indeed, when you buy items on online sales sites, there is no way to try on like in a store, unless you return them after receipt if the product is not suitable. Comments are therefore essential to be able to get an idea of the quality. On Amazon, customers also do not seem to be spared from this illegal practice, which explains why the comments are all positive even though the quality of the product leaves something to be desired.
According to UFC Que Choisir, some independent traders do not hesitate to “bribe” their customers by slipping vouchers worth several tens of euros into the package, in exchange for a good rating (5 stars) and a positive opinion. To benefit from the offer, customers simply specify their order number by attaching the link to the glowing review. This misleading practice is, however, prohibited by the e-commerce giant, which clearly specifies its “zero tolerance policy with regard to false reviews”.
To combat these erroneous reviews, Amazon takes restrictive measures by suspending accounts or permanently closing them. The company also uses artificial intelligence tools to better identify these false comments. But in fact, users who comment positively remain discreet about this approach in order to benefit from gift cards.