Amazon reviews - True or False? This site may help

Montana · ‎03-09-2010

Fakespot.com claims to analyze reviews and determine their authenticity.

CNET explains it: cnet.com/how-to/spot-fake-amazon-reviews-with-fakespot/

NJgirl 1205 · ‎02-22-2014

Very helpful! Thanks for posting.

Plaid Pants2 · ‎03-14-2015

What gets me is when a "reviewer" will say, "I was given this item for free or reduced cost in exchange for an honest review", and the "review" is 5 stars.

No, you were given the item for free or reduced cost in exchange for a glowing 5 star review.

mac116 · ‎03-26-2010

They are not all fake reviews. I buy a ton of stuff from Amazon, and always write a.review for that item.

Bagaholic · ‎08-15-2015

@Plaid Pants2 wrote:
What gets me is when a "reviewer" will say, "I was given this item for free or reduced cost in exchange for an honest review", and the "review" is 5 stars.

No, you were given the item for free or reduced cost in exchange for a glowing 5 star review.

I can't speak for every reviewer, but I've been provided products to review and found some of them to be excellent. I wouldn't post that I liked something if I did not, regardless of how I got access to the item.

Plaid Pants2 · ‎03-14-2015

@Bagaholic wrote:
@Plaid Pants2 wrote:
What gets me is when a "reviewer" will say, "I was given this item for free or reduced cost in exchange for an honest review", and the "review" is 5 stars.

No, you were given the item for free or reduced cost in exchange for a glowing 5 star review.

I can't speak for every reviewer, but I've been provided products to review and found some of them to be excellent. I wouldn't post that I liked something if I did not, regardless of how I got access to the item.

If I were given an item to try and to leave a review about, I would not say in my review, "I was given this item for free or reduced cost, in exchange for a review".

I would just give the review.

Nobody has to know that I was given the item for free, or reduced cost, in exchange for a review, so why say it in the review?

It's when they include that sentence in their review, that makes me suspect, and even disreguard the whole review.

It would be like if a reviewer were to say, "I was paid money to try the item and leave a review"

It kinda throws the whole review in to a shady light.

I hope that I'm explaining myself well.

Silverandgold · ‎03-10-2010

I purchase a great deal from Amazon and do write my own reviews whether I like a product or find it doesn't live up to its claims and I am not on any Amazon list of people who get freebies for reviews. I also check reviews regularly and do dismiss those that state they were given the product free in return for a reivew. I get that new sellers need to get feedback, but I do find it disingenuous. Same with beauty product reviews on YT as well. This is how these beauty bloggers stay in business & make money. If they trash too many products, the manufacturer will stop sending them products. Their first responsibility is to the makers of the product. Also, I've purchased some highly recommended products and when I receive my experience is not stellar as led to believe.

CaliKat · ‎03-17-2010

Thank you Montana. I appreciate learning about this site.

I agree it's good to have other options to help us determine if a review is legitimate, or not. However, in this CNET.com article you posted, it said Fakespot can sometimes give us completely erroneous information about the reviews.

CNET had Fakespot check the reviews on a product they knew to be good. The product has a 4.3-star average from over 100 reviewers, yet Fakespot detected a whopping 75.4 percent low-quality reviews.

In this case, if you followed Fakespot's advice and passed up on this product, you would have passed up on a good one.

Therefore, while it's an additional, and useful tool to use in determining whether you buy a product or not, it should not be your only criteria.