• cm0002@lemmy.world
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    11 months ago

    Sellers frequently farm good reviews by including cards in their packages that state “give us a 5 star review and get a full/partial refund!”

    I order A LOT off Amazon and I have never gotten one of these, I’d know because I would absolutely do this. I’ve seen “Please leave a review” card but never with a promise of a refund

    Sellers update their listings with good reviews with different pictures, descriptions, etc. which effectively creates a different listing while carrying over a large review count.

    Can confirm, I’ve seen this, but I thought it was Amazon themselves for some reason lmao

    Amazon doesn’t allow reviews after 30 days (?) from purchase, so items poor durability will not have that reflected in their reviews

    I don’t think that’s true, I’m pretty sure I’ve seen reviews from people months after they ordered it

    • dirthawker0@lemmy.world
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      11 months ago

      I’ve gotten cards that offer a free product for a good review, and cards that offer a gift card, but not an actual refund. I’ve been offered refunds to take down my bad reviews.

        • dirthawker0@lemmy.world
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          11 months ago

          I’ve reported it once. I was emailed about 8 times from different email addresses with very similar text asking me to take down a bad review and they would refund me. A lot of asking for sympathy, we’re very small and a bad review is so devastating, blah blah. All the refund offers were a little more than what I paid.

          After 3 requests I replied with something akin to, “okay, you say you’re trying to improve your product. I want something that works. How about instead of a refund, you send me an improved item, and if it works I’ll give a good review.” And they said they couldn’t. (Of course not, they’re just retailing stuff from some factory and they have zero say in development.)

          I didn’t reply, and over the next few weeks I got the rest of the emails from them. So I reported it, sent Amazon screenshots and such. I haven’t looked but I assume they were given the heave ho. They probably just renamed themselves and restarted. But they didn’t email me again.

      • lobut@lemmy.ca
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        11 months ago

        Me too, for several purchases. I’ve never followed through with it though. I’d report them if I felt it did something.

        • UrPartnerInCrime@sh.itjust.works
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          11 months ago

          I takes like 2 minutes to report something. The fact that you can’t be bothered to report shady practices just allows them to run rampant. Even if you think it does nothing, why not just try to make the world a little better? It may actually change something