At Fair Business Loans we were interested to read this week that the retail giant Amazon is taking legal action against 1,114 people it says have posted fake reviews on its website. Amazon says the 1,114 defendants - as yet unknown - offer a false review service via websites such as Fiverr.com, promising five-star reviews for a seller's products.
Amazon are taking the action to protect its reputation, saying that these reviews “can significantly undermine the trust that consumers and the vast majority of sellers and manufacturers place in Amazon, which in turn tarnishes Amazon's brand."
This whole situation reminds us a little of the issues with money comparison websites that we featured in a blog in February. Whilst we are not for one minute suggesting that there are fake reviews on such sites, our blog did explain that there are various factors that can influence the positioning of a company on a comparison website.
For example, companies can bid to feature on comparison websites, and can also pay for additional options such as 'unlocked' editing to personalise its listing. Price comparison websites also do not necessarily feature the best deals overall as not every company chooses to list on them - perhaps because of the very reasons we have just looked at!
So with both retail websites and price comparison websites the common theme is don’t necessarily believe what you read! When purchasing goods for your business always rely on your own judgement, and if you need advice from others make sure it’s from people you know and trust.
Similarly if you need a small business loan then shop around wisely for the best deal. Why not talk to us at Fair Business Loans? We are open and transparent about our rates and terms, and can explain to you exactly how we might be able to help. Above all, we are here to help you do business - not to put unnecessary obstacles in the way of you doing so!
