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| The perils of five-star reviews | The perils of five-star reviews |
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| A publishing giant got into hot water after offering gift vouchers to anyone who would give their textbook a five-star review. It raises one of the key questions in online purchasing, how much can you trust the customer reviews you read? | A publishing giant got into hot water after offering gift vouchers to anyone who would give their textbook a five-star review. It raises one of the key questions in online purchasing, how much can you trust the customer reviews you read? |
| In the US, it is called "shill reviewing". | In the US, it is called "shill reviewing". |
| You are the owner of a company whose product - Brand X Widget is struggling. On a major online retailer, Brand X Widget has been given a slew of one-star reviews by customers. | You are the owner of a company whose product - Brand X Widget is struggling. On a major online retailer, Brand X Widget has been given a slew of one-star reviews by customers. |
| How tempting it is to tell all your employees to log on, without revealing their allegiance to the company, and dole out some five-star reviews. Slowly but surely Brand X Widget's star rating rises. | How tempting it is to tell all your employees to log on, without revealing their allegiance to the company, and dole out some five-star reviews. Slowly but surely Brand X Widget's star rating rises. |
| OTHER TERMINOLOGY Amazon bombing: Concerted effort to change Amazon sales rankings by simultaneously buying product Sock puppetry: The act of creating a fake online identity to praise, defend or create the illusion of support for one's self, allies or company (New York Times)Astroturfing: Formal political, advertising, or public relations campaigns seeking to create the impression of being spontaneous "grassroots" behaviour (Wikipedia)Seeding: Process of placing viral marketing such as videos in forums etc | |
| Of course, the customer is the loser. | Of course, the customer is the loser. |
| Read around the issue of these shill reviews and you will see discussion forum melees about books whose Amazon star-rating has mysteriously risen. Everyone knows reviews influence sales. | Read around the issue of these shill reviews and you will see discussion forum melees about books whose Amazon star-rating has mysteriously risen. Everyone knows reviews influence sales. |
| "If you look at internet retailers one of the drawbacks they have is that they don't have the advice a physical bookshop can give," says Graham Neill of industry magazine The Bookseller. "[Customer reviews] are almost like a member of staff that you would grab in a bookshop and ask 'what do you think of this book'. It is a good sounding post." | "If you look at internet retailers one of the drawbacks they have is that they don't have the advice a physical bookshop can give," says Graham Neill of industry magazine The Bookseller. "[Customer reviews] are almost like a member of staff that you would grab in a bookshop and ask 'what do you think of this book'. It is a good sounding post." |
| Amazon and other retailers have long recognised the importance of customer reviews. Dedicated reviewers earn status by appearing in the "top reviewers" list, and can even be sent products to review in advance. | Amazon and other retailers have long recognised the importance of customer reviews. Dedicated reviewers earn status by appearing in the "top reviewers" list, and can even be sent products to review in advance. |
| It's no surprise that the recent actions of science publisher Elsevier caused a storm. The firm offered a $25 (£15) Amazon voucher to academics who contributed to the textbook Clinical Psychology if they would go on Amazon and Barnes & Noble (a large US books retailer) and give it five stars. Elsevier was quick to disown the actions of its marketing employee and emphasise that it had all been a mistake. | It's no surprise that the recent actions of science publisher Elsevier caused a storm. The firm offered a $25 (£15) Amazon voucher to academics who contributed to the textbook Clinical Psychology if they would go on Amazon and Barnes & Noble (a large US books retailer) and give it five stars. Elsevier was quick to disown the actions of its marketing employee and emphasise that it had all been a mistake. |
| "The company doesn't pay for positive reviews," says Tom Reller, director of corporate relations. "This was a recent employee error. We haven't given out any gift cards under the programme." | "The company doesn't pay for positive reviews," says Tom Reller, director of corporate relations. "This was a recent employee error. We haven't given out any gift cards under the programme." |
| POSSIBLE SHILL? Went for a fantastic meal at the Hearty, Happy Miller the other day. This is country pub food at its very, very best (1). The new beer garden made the visit a particular pleasure. A great place to take the kids. And so easy to get to taking the A473 to Trumpton, taking a left at the Blue Man roundabout and continuing for two miles (2). You'll spot it because of the beautiful new beer garden (3). STAR RATING: ***** 1. Gushing praise2. Advert-like qualities3. Repeated key phrase | POSSIBLE SHILL? Went for a fantastic meal at the Hearty, Happy Miller the other day. This is country pub food at its very, very best (1). The new beer garden made the visit a particular pleasure. A great place to take the kids. And so easy to get to taking the A473 to Trumpton, taking a left at the Blue Man roundabout and continuing for two miles (2). You'll spot it because of the beautiful new beer garden (3). STAR RATING: ***** 1. Gushing praise2. Advert-like qualities3. Repeated key phrase |
| He emphasises that the rogue employee had gone a long way beyond normal publishing practice. | He emphasises that the rogue employee had gone a long way beyond normal publishing practice. |
| "Encouraging interested parties to post book reviews isn't outside the norm in scholarly publishing, nor is it wrong to offer to nominally compensate people for their time. | "Encouraging interested parties to post book reviews isn't outside the norm in scholarly publishing, nor is it wrong to offer to nominally compensate people for their time. |
| "But in all instances the request should be unbiased, with no incentives for a positive review, and that's where this particular e-mail went too far." | "But in all instances the request should be unbiased, with no incentives for a positive review, and that's where this particular e-mail went too far." |
| Away from publishing, travel review websites also prove a great temptation for shills. If you run a hotel on the brink of bankruptcy you may want to boost your own, or damage a neighbour with allegations of rats, bedbugs and strange smells from the plumbing. | |
| "Obviously, the damage to travellers is to those who rely uncritically on anonymous reviews," says travel writer and blogger Edward Hasbrouck. "It can also reward disreputable travel companies and hotels, and damage the reputations of good ones." | "Obviously, the damage to travellers is to those who rely uncritically on anonymous reviews," says travel writer and blogger Edward Hasbrouck. "It can also reward disreputable travel companies and hotels, and damage the reputations of good ones." |
| But how can the unwitting customer spot a shill, and what can websites featuring customer reviews do to defend themselves? | But how can the unwitting customer spot a shill, and what can websites featuring customer reviews do to defend themselves? |
| Hasbrouck has written on the challenge. | Hasbrouck has written on the challenge. |
| "If there are only a few reviews of a place, assume that there is a good chance they've been planted by friends or foes. If there are many reviews, act like a statistician, and start by dropping the outliers [the most extreme comments]." | "If there are only a few reviews of a place, assume that there is a good chance they've been planted by friends or foes. If there are many reviews, act like a statistician, and start by dropping the outliers [the most extreme comments]." |
| In more general terms, watch out for similarities in style between reviews from people with different usernames, particularly if those reviews were placed about the same time. | In more general terms, watch out for similarities in style between reviews from people with different usernames, particularly if those reviews were placed about the same time. |
| EUROPEAN LAW Commercial practices which are in all circumstances considered unfair: 22. Falsely claiming or creating the impression that the trader is not acting for purposes relating to his trade, business, craft or profession, or falsely representing oneself as a consumer Unfair Commercial Practices Directive 2005/29/EC | EUROPEAN LAW Commercial practices which are in all circumstances considered unfair: 22. Falsely claiming or creating the impression that the trader is not acting for purposes relating to his trade, business, craft or profession, or falsely representing oneself as a consumer Unfair Commercial Practices Directive 2005/29/EC |
| If a series of reviews has been inspired by a manager or owner pushing a particular agenda, you may see variations of the same phrase cropping up again and again - a reference to a new conservatory at the hotel, or the all-you-can eat buffet at a restaurant. | If a series of reviews has been inspired by a manager or owner pushing a particular agenda, you may see variations of the same phrase cropping up again and again - a reference to a new conservatory at the hotel, or the all-you-can eat buffet at a restaurant. |
| Watch out for people who are new users, or whose only reviews are on the same item. And a sudden wave of five-star reviews after a more sustained run of lower ratings should provoke suspicion. | Watch out for people who are new users, or whose only reviews are on the same item. And a sudden wave of five-star reviews after a more sustained run of lower ratings should provoke suspicion. |
| For those who run the websites, they can spot the cruder shilling attempts if they emanate from the same IP address. | For those who run the websites, they can spot the cruder shilling attempts if they emanate from the same IP address. |
| The big customer review websites say they have robust policies to combat shilling. | The big customer review websites say they have robust policies to combat shilling. |
| "Amazon works hard to maintain the integrity of its customer reviews," a spokesman says. "We have very clear guidelines, and when a customer reports a review that they feel is inappropriate, we investigate, and may (or may not) take it down." | "Amazon works hard to maintain the integrity of its customer reviews," a spokesman says. "We have very clear guidelines, and when a customer reports a review that they feel is inappropriate, we investigate, and may (or may not) take it down." |
| The travel reviews website TripAdvisor is also on the case. | |
| "Every review is screened prior to posting and a team of quality assurance specialists investigate suspicious ones; we have proprietary automated tools that help identify attempts to subvert the system; and our 25 million monthly visitors also help police our content. | "Every review is screened prior to posting and a team of quality assurance specialists investigate suspicious ones; we have proprietary automated tools that help identify attempts to subvert the system; and our 25 million monthly visitors also help police our content. |
| "When a review is suspected to be fraudulent, it is immediately taken down. Further measures to penalise those attempting to game the system can include sending a warning letter to the property owners and posting a notice on TripAdvisor to warn travellers that a particular property is being investigated for potentially fraudulent activity." | "When a review is suspected to be fraudulent, it is immediately taken down. Further measures to penalise those attempting to game the system can include sending a warning letter to the property owners and posting a notice on TripAdvisor to warn travellers that a particular property is being investigated for potentially fraudulent activity." |
| Shilling damage | Shilling damage |
| But, of course, it is in the interests of the websites to say they have a handle on shilling, says Hasbrouck. | But, of course, it is in the interests of the websites to say they have a handle on shilling, says Hasbrouck. |
| "Knowledge of shilling also damages the business of review web sites, who therefore have an interest in reassuring the public that they have eliminated it." | "Knowledge of shilling also damages the business of review web sites, who therefore have an interest in reassuring the public that they have eliminated it." |
| Ultimately, the sheer weight of numbers of the honest users may be the best defence. | Ultimately, the sheer weight of numbers of the honest users may be the best defence. |
| "One of the things Amazon have is a question did you find this review helpful - reviews are ranked," says Neill. "I wouldn't underestimate the humble customer's ability to distinguish between what is a gushing press release and a genuine 'I felt this book was fantastic'." | "One of the things Amazon have is a question did you find this review helpful - reviews are ranked," says Neill. "I wouldn't underestimate the humble customer's ability to distinguish between what is a gushing press release and a genuine 'I felt this book was fantastic'." |
| And of course, there are those who would say the reliable customer reviews can only be maintained in parallel with professionally produced content. | And of course, there are those who would say the reliable customer reviews can only be maintained in parallel with professionally produced content. |
| "In terms of travel information there is so much online it can be overwhelming," says Anna Paynton, who works on the Rough Guides and the website TravelDK, which features customer reviews. "How do you wade through it? And how do you know what to trust? A lot is posted by businesses and by friends of the businesses. That's why having a guidebook is so important. It's been researched by travel writers and researched by editors. | "In terms of travel information there is so much online it can be overwhelming," says Anna Paynton, who works on the Rough Guides and the website TravelDK, which features customer reviews. "How do you wade through it? And how do you know what to trust? A lot is posted by businesses and by friends of the businesses. That's why having a guidebook is so important. It's been researched by travel writers and researched by editors. |
| "Most people know that user generated content is going to have an element of unreliability. We do check but the problem is that there is so much it is very difficult to really monitor it closely." | "Most people know that user generated content is going to have an element of unreliability. We do check but the problem is that there is so much it is very difficult to really monitor it closely." |
| So perhaps we should rely on our own shill-hunting abilities. | So perhaps we should rely on our own shill-hunting abilities. |
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