Fake reviews... tell me it ain't so!!

Geronimo · Sep 23, 2013

19 companies snared by NY Attorney General for writing fake reviews on their products

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/09/23/us-fake-reviewers-idUSBRE98M0YU20130923

This is why I'll read forums like this one before I'll believe anything from a vendor's web site. I tried to post a few negative reviews on BUY.COM and they were denied. Also Newegg has their review policy skewed toward the supplier. I got burned on $600 worth of hardware that was widely touted as the best of the best by magazines and reviewers.

I've even seen thinly veiled shills in forums like this one, "hey guys, I found a great price at xyz vendor." Know your community, learn who you can trust... take the rest with a grain of salt.

DoctorCAD · Sep 23, 2013

I read reviews, but don't let that be my only source of information. I am a firm believer in the "Seven-Ninths Principle" which states that 7 out of every 9 people in the general population are idiots or *****. People that write reviews fall into that group.

Geronimo · Sep 23, 2013

I've never heard of the "Seven-Ninths Principle" so I googled it and came up with nothing.

What I typically get from reviews (on a decent site) is the percentage of low ratings. Angry people are highly motivated, and if they got burned they usually want to make sure everyone knows for a little pay back.

I am however pretty cynical about 5 star reviews. Most of them are written by people that have owned a product for a day or less and have nothing to compare it to.

vacuumpumpman · Sep 23, 2013

Geronimo
I hope you are not referring to any comments about the Allinonewinewinepump ?
I have literally have no control of what peoples opinions are or thee comments.

I truly enjoy that people like myself are able to do winemaking as I just got done doing over 8 carboys tonight without ever lifting a heavy carboy or disturbing one.

Geronimo · Sep 24, 2013

Steve, the OP is about companies employing people to write fake reviews.

jswordy · Sep 24, 2013

I was shocked, SHOCKED I tell you, to learn such practices are pretty common. I mean, in an industry where the good reviews are already filtered to be at the top of the list, along with one or two bad ones just to leaven the bread, while all the bad reviews are at the bottom and potentially pages away, who would have thunk people were being paid to write good reviews? Oh, and at $10 a review, where do I sign up as a writer?

Oh, and BTW, let me tell ya that All In One Wine Pump is the bomb! That thing is great. Used it once and it not only siphoned my wine over to a new carboy, it also let the dog out and vacuumed the entire house, as well as doing the dishes. I recommend it!