[Sri Vathsa]

Originally Posted by Samarth 619

2. Try ensuring each product you get is original and not fake. Ratings won't help much. Even rated sellers like Appario are now sending fake memory cards (they did to me, a 4.4 star rated card), but they replace them when they're pursued...

I had the same problem with Appario Retail Private Ltd. I had purchased printer catridge and they sent me a used hp introductory catridge. Amazon did not publish my 1 star review! but promptly refunded the amount.

In Google - I don't read reviews from reviewers who have just 1 or 2 reviews (you can also check their previous reviews) and if a shop/establishment has too many of these reviewers, I don't buy anything from them.

In Amazon/Flipkart - i check if the product is returnable and the rating of the seller (but sometimes they send you fake products, in that case, i deal directly with Amazon Customer care)

[RoadMonkey]

Amazon also doesn't let you post reviews mentioning said incentives bundled for a positive review. I received these two in a couple of car detailing products I ordered.



I instantly felt hesitant about using said products on my car. One was a detailing clay and the other wasa variety of sandpapers. This practice creates a distrust and even if the products are good, I become doubtful of their quality.

[bblost]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8JVW9jwH2ns

The Brushing Scam!

[warrioraks]

True story: I found a place (not disclosing the name) through Google which was rated as 4.9 and had majority 5 star reviews from 100 odd people. Should have been a red-flag but I did not realise it then. Called up the place to confirm whether it was open and visited. Found the manager to be pretty rude and condescending and decided to not avail services as the payment wasn’t done yet. Came back home and gave a 1 star because of the experience. Within 5 minutes, the manager called me asked me to remove the review. Since I hadn’t availed the services, I agreed. But I could clearly see the tone getting aggressive/threatening and since he was a local from Gurgaon which was clearly mentioned as well, I could see this would only go downhill.

Fake reviews took a new meaning for me that day!

[adisan]

I have also had instances when the car and bike ASCs asked me for a rating of 9 or 10, when I had given 7 or 8.


With e-commerce sites, first I compare the product details and reviews on as many sites as possible. I look at all the reviews, especially the bad reviews, as well as the "answered questions" where available. Reviews with videos or photos of the product are better.

I think that one learns with experience as to how to spot fake reviews and fake products, but even then one can go wrong. So I place the order only with a site that offers returns and refunds, and also with COD as far as possible.

The menace of fake reviews is present, but at the same time I have purchased some good products at unbeatable prices.

[ajayc123]

Now this one is a BIG of surprise asking for an unbiased review for a product that I got from Amazon today. Pinch me. Am I awake?

[ToThePoint]

Originally Posted by ajayc123

Now this one is a BIG of surprise asking for an unbiased review for a product that I got from Amazon today. Pinch me. Am I awake?

Don't be fooled by the wording, that's to slip under the radar as genuine guys. See the image below FK/Amazon logo and that should tell you the expectation.

You may try your luck with the unbiased review, but without considering this 'surprise' gesture!

[ajayc123]

Originally Posted by ToThePoint

Don't be fooled by the wording, that's to slip under the radar as genuine guys. See the image below FK/Amazon logo and that should tell you the expectation.

You may try your luck with the unbiased review, but without considering this 'surprise' gesture!

Possibly these guys are getting deceptively clever. So far, I had seen openly asking for 5* review in return for cash or voucher.

And this time this ask is from a known brand Inalsa. I guess these guys must be seeing some benefit from this bait.

[SideView]

Not a fake review per se but lets call it “Amazon review switching”. Not sure if others have noticed this.(but do check your order history, i just ran into it by coincidence)

I bought a polycarbonate case for an old phone looks something like:





When I check my puchase order it shows up as below ( a totally different item and link ) with my review part of it. (5 star since i was satisfied with the real product)

Does the below look anything like a polycarbonate case?




What the link now takes you to:


And that too with my review.


For sure it is a scam, but not able to make out if it due to amazons end or sellers end. Because now a totally unrelated product gets a 5 star rating.

Cmon Amazon get you act together.

[ajayc123]

Originally Posted by SideView

Not a fake review per se but lets call it “Amazon review switching”. Not sure if others have noticed this.(but do check your order history, i just ran into it by coincidence)

I bought a polycarbonate case for an old phone looks something like:

Attachment 2375438

Attachment 2375439

When I check my puchase order it shows up as below ( a totally different item and link ) with my review part of it. (5 star since i was satisfied with the real product)

Does the below look anything like a polycarbonate case?

Attachment 2375440


What the link now takes you to:
Attachment 2375441

And that too with my review.


For sure it is a scam, but not able to make out if it due to amazons end or sellers end. Because now a totally unrelated product gets a 5 star rating.

Cmon Amazon get you act together.

This is a seller loophole/ trick. Once they have created a product master data (identified by an Amazon code), and sell units of one item. Later for same code, the seller can change the description, pictures etc, and offer a new product under the same code. Ideally this should not be done, but past ratings, rankings etc help in better search results vs a brand new product.

[SideView]

Originally Posted by ajayc123

This is a seller loophole/ trick. Once they have created a product master data (identified by an Amazon code), and sell units of one item. Later for same code, the seller can change the description, pictures etc, and offer a new product under the same code. Ideally this should not be done, but past ratings, rankings etc help in better search results vs a brand new product.

Thankfully I have uploaded pics together with my review. Else easy for anyone to fall into this trick and trust the review and purchase a unrelated product based on the review.

If this loophole isnt taken out no point trusting any reviews.

[rajeevsulu]

This is very very prevalent and very annoying as well. I bought a couple of products from Amazon based on reviews and they were bad. I returned the products but my reviews were never published. This happened recently.

[ImranHyd]

Reviews on Amazon have indeed become a headache for people like me who prefer to shop online than navigate through the traffic and visit a brick-and-mortar store.

There are now solutions informing customers above fake reviews. Did anyone try https://www.fakespot.com ?

I just started taking help from this browser extension. Still need to analyze its correctness.