Trustpilot Problems

[skytecuk]

Just tried posting this in the original Trustpilot thread, but it was over 91 days old...so re-starting the thread for anyone who's interested...
.................

We use Trustpilot- have done for around a year and a half now. We have had nothing but problems.

We cannot integrate the automatic review request- so while we have a profile, we've fallen victim to the angry customer who takes the time to sign-up to post a negative rating. Often we've been able to turn this around by explaining things to the customer and changing their mind.

But, the only way to build the rating and gain positive reviews has been to use our 'Kickstart Credits' - where you manually send invitations out to customers.

From these, we got a number of 5 star reviews and a high rating.

HOWEVER, three times now, Trustpilot has gone into account doing some gardening....at once point we lost over 50 reviews- all positive, and our score dropped from 9 to 6.

We sent out more requests and built up again to around 8.5...then it happened again.

Yesterday, it happened once more...so all our customers who have taken the time to rate us have been binned.

Each time, we wrote to Trustpilot to explain this. They quote that they review each company and attempt to see if any attempt has been made to falsify reviews, or if they are unable to verify a user (they make no verification attempt). We were to get our customers to contact Trustpilot if they wanted their review put back on (who is going to do that?!)...anyhoo..one or two customers DID side for us and write to Trustpilot...no reply.

The second time it happened, I called them. I explained to the operator what the problem was; "Ok," she said, "I will put you through to your account manager." Then the phone went dead. I called back...same person....tried to be connected- hung up again. Third attempt...same person...line rang out....then she explained someone will call me back on the matter ( I explained it was urgent as our rating had plunged overnight). No call back.

I wrote in to my original salesman contact at T/P who said it was nothing to do with him and to try support.

Once again I wrote to support who told me very bluntly that they would not discuss removed reviews with me- seemingly an automatic reply which hints this happens a lot!

The second and third times this happened we emailed support and got the exact same request. Any further reply to this is ignored completely.

We have not written false reviews and I am absolutely furious that people who have taken time to write have had their reviews binned.

Furthermore, we've wasted pretty much all of the 'kickstart' credits to achieve a small smattering of good/bad reviews, leaving our score as 'acceptable' (we used to use the Ratepoint service, where our score was 'Excellent'- Trustpilot were supposed to integrate these reviews...but never did of course).

 

[SEO Lady]

The kickstart service has the ability to import your order number, was this the case or did you simply send out requests to the email a customer used?

Each review has to be verified with an order number.

Maybe this contact of mine can help?

[FONT=&quot]Trustpilot[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]UK Sales Manager[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Phone: +44 (0)800 011 2822[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]E-mail: [email protected][/FONT]

 

[skytecuk]

Yes we did complete the fields properly with name, email and order number. All correct order numbers used.

 

[mdj101]

Thinking of using trustpilot, but after reading reviews like this it's making me think twice.

If this happened to me, I would send them a written letter with a list of all the orders, names and ip addresses proving that they were original.

If they didn't re-instate them then I would then seek legal advice to have all the review removed and the contract terminated.

If they can't do what they say they are supposed to and you can prove that every review was legitimate then you have a legal case not only to have the account removed but to sue for loss of business for removing all the good reviews!

 

[Deleted member 164081]

What they forget to tell you is that if you cancel your account with them you are damned. You will not be able to remove your details or close your account completely. Your account will be downgraded to a basic account and all attempts to get it closed are fruitless. Emails to support are ignored.

I would be extremely careful using Trustpilot. They haven't got the faintest idea about privacy laws in the EU or elsewhere for that matter and they hide behind their Danish address thinking that this will let get them away with - literally - murder (commercial that is).

Using Trustpilot will make you a target for some seriously deranged people and you will sooner or later come across nasty trolls, the same people who leave malicious tweets on Twitter or Facebook. And look how Twitter and Facebook deal with them. Couldn't be bothered less.

 

[Deleted member 164081]

So here is the response from their support team about closing an account:

Trustpilot does not delete profiles of companies.
Reason for this is that consumers have a right to express their opinion about their buyers experience. Would we delete your profile than we would take away the opinion of the consumer as well.


If you need further assistance, please do not hesitate to write back to us by replying to this email.


Kind regards, Med venlig hilsen, Met vriendelijke groet, Mit freundlichen Grüßen, Cordialement, Cordiales saludos,


Trustpilot Support

 

[Deleted member 164081]

And here is the reply from Trustpilot with regards to a request to lock the page for future comments:

Also future customers have a right to express their opinion, therefor the profile will remain online.

Basically that means you are being had and at Trustpilot's mercy and also at the mercy of all the trolls, revenge seekers and nutters that are out there no matter what.
Because in my experience Trustpilot does not accept your evidence as evidence. The customer is always right and that is their attitude.

 

[barley09]

I used to be sceptical that anyone could fake their reviews on Trustpilot. I thought they would spot it....

But we have a competitor who uses the service. Now, we know how busy they are, and that only 1/10 customers will leave a review. So the fact they have accumulated thousands in a shhort time is worrying.

Worse, they have a perfect score. I'm not the jealous type...just deeply suspicious. We have a good number if negatives...mostly valid, some unfair, I.e package got bent in the post, postman late, wrong item, etc.... So to see our rival have NONE of this at all. Absolutely nothing....

I'm asking, not to engage in this unethical and unlawful practice, but...how does one get a firm to leave you positives? Surely this isn't advertised anywhere? And surely robots would be able to pick up on this?

 

[Bill1954]

I find Trustpilot really easy. In our Magento store, when we send the shipping email, we tick "send copy of email" This sends a copy of the email to Trustpilot who send their email 4 days later. Surely there must be some way of doing something similar on your site ?

 

[PPC_Matt]

We have thousands of reviews from Trustpilot, mostly all positive. Our sales guys contact all the customers and check how their order was and then at this point (if it's a positive experience) send the form for them to fill out. Because the customers are at a point where they're very happy with the service, a lot of them give us a great review.

Haven't heard of these issues before, but sounds frustrating!