Fake Reviews Are Scary

With Halloween right around the corner, it’s time to acknowledge how scary fake reviews can be for your eCommerce business. You know those reviews that are so positive yet so vague? Or that stream of one-star reviews that are all submitted during the same week? Those could be tell-tale signs that you’re reading a fake review, and for your business, those reviews are potentially hurting your reputation. 

What are fake reviews?

“Fake reviews” can mean a lot of different things, but simply, they are spam ratings of your products, often purchased to make a brand look better or to damage the reputation of a competitor. Fake reviews are dangerous because online reviews are generally not vetted as thoroughly as offline content. Even for major retailers like Amazon, fake reviews can drive you batty because they seem like real customer opinions. Your shoppers trust the opinions of other shoppers, which is why it’s so damaging to introduce inaccurate reviews into the mix. 

How to spot fake reviews

Do you know how to spot a fake review posted to your website or social media channel? Try these fake review spotting tactics to creep it real with your customers: 

The review is too general

If a review talks about how great or awful a product is without any details, it may be fake. Authentic reviews usually include specific details about the best and worst parts of the product. 

The review includes links to other websites

An authentic review does not promote another website. If you spot a review that promotes other goods or services, give it the boot.

The reviewer posts similar content

Look at other reviews posted by the user. If they seem eerily similar, including similar keywords and content formats, you may need to send those reviews to the graveyard. 

How to protect your business

To protect your business from fake reviews,  put someone in charge of moderating your product reviews. With Revere, you are able to set custom moderation rules including profanity filters, auto-escalation, and team moderation. Moderation will be less time consuming, and you’ll be protected—keeping your business growing and reputation intact. 

You’ve worked hard to earn your customer’s trust and boost loyalty. Don’t get caught in a web of fake reviews. 

Built by a team of retail industry experts, Revere is a powerful, simple to implement, and affordable ratings and reviews platform. Request a demo today to leverage the power of user-generated content to guide purchasing decisions and increase engagement, sales, and trust in your brand. 

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and X to keep in touch!