TrustPilot and Adverse Reviews

[The Resolver]

I want to post here to widen an issue raised on Legal at http://www.ukbusinessforums.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=257825. This is about negative feedback on eBay but let me widen it to adverse reviews generally.

I am assisting a client who is having similar problems with TrustPilot.com (a site dedicated to customer reviews). Not just that but also beginning to find customers claiming chargeback before the delivery period had expired. I will start a new thread under the TP header in general.

Whilst the development of consumer reviews is undoubtedly a beneficial effect of the net, and there has been a sudden growth in reviews beyond the world of eBay, the problem of false, malicious or just unfair reviews and the damage they can cause to business is also developing. It is a issue for which my new company - www.modria.com - a spin off from eBay and PayPal's dispute resolution team- is heavily involved in creating some new solutions. There is a draft EU Regulation on Online Dispute Resolution in development but for which the UK Govt (BIS ) is trying to narrow coverage to claims by consumers on traders whereas I have been arguing to BIS that the growing negative review problem (including business owners masquerading as consumers to damage competitors) justifies broadening coverage for claims by traders on consumers who post maliciously.

The problem is exacerbated by two facts:-

1. Google aggregate all review sites and so malicious customers can cause havoc to your online reputation (one client had one customer post 40 adverse and untruthful comments about the same transaction in one evening!)

2. Amazon run their own version of ODR (not 'online dispute resolution' but' order defect rate' which is assessed by them on their sellers based on chargebacks and negative feedbacks . If the ODR reaches 1% of sales they will suspend the seller.

I am presenting on this subject at the annual International Forum on Online Dispute Resolution in Prague next month and would very much welcome hearing from anyone with similar experiences. Other experiences may also help me in my efforts with avoiding the possible narrowing of the EU regulation.

 

[Bill1954]

The main problem of course is that people are far more likely to post a review when they are unhappy with something than they are when they are satisfied. We had a woman a couple of years ago who for some reason went onto every review site that she could find and compained about us, even going as far as to say that our site had vanished and our telephone lines were not being answered. The truth of the matter was that something had been damaged in transit and we replaced it without question within 72 hours which is a reasonable amount of time to source an item and deliver it to the customer.
The sad fact is that anyone can go onto these sites and say anything they like about a company within reason. Most of them do give an option to appeal but who has the time to check out the review sites for bad reviews.

 

[The Resolver]

The sad fact is that anyone can go onto these sites and say anything they like about a company within reason. Most of them do give an option to appeal but who has the time to check out the review sites for bad reviews.

1. Both the person posting the review and the site housing it (once notified) are liable in defamation .

2. There is a distinct lack of real neutral appeal/dispute resolution processes. That is Modria's space.

3. Its no longer a question of only being viewed by those who have time to check. Thanks to Google - if sites downgrade your star rating that lowered rating will appear when people search for you together with links to the reviews. And thanks to Amazon they can cause suspension.

 

[SillyJokes]

many people would read these reviews as unneccesarily malicious.

I've had someone comment on an Amazon listed product maligning my company which was very annoying particulary when I think of how much we did to try and resolve his issue. It even attracted someone else to comment about us. The second person complained about an eBay mask purchase when we don't sell the mask and don't sell on eBay! We got the flack for someone else's poor customer service. Who says the customer is always right?

edit to say first customer hadn't bought via Amazon but had deliberately and maliciously made the comments.

 

[kulture]

many people would read these reviews as unneccesarily malicious.

I've had someone comment on an Amazon listed product maligning my company which was very annoying particulary when I think of how much we did to try and resolve his issue. It even attracted someone else to comment about us. The second person complained about an eBay mask purchase when we don't sell the mask and don't sell on eBay! We got the flack for someone else's poor customer service. Who says the customer is always right?

edit to say first customer hadn't bought via Amazon but had deliberately and maliciously made the comments.

It does not matter how they read it. If you have more then 1% of your orders with negative feedback, or A-Z claim Amazon will suspend you, possibly even close you down. This is automatic regardless of the validity of such feedback/claim. Indeed Amazon even say that it is "filed" claims. So even if the claim is thrown out and Amazon decides in your favour, it counts against you.