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Gaming the App Store

Posted by kdawson on from the burning-your-knees-on-astroturf dept.

space_in_your_face writes "Want to boost the popularity of your latest iPhone app? Ask Reverb Communications! 'When it comes to winning in the App Store, this PR firm has discovered a dynamite strategy: throw ethics out the window. Reverb Communications, a PR firm that represents dozens of game publishers and developers, has managed to find astounding success on Apple's App Store for its clients. Among its various tactics? It hires a team of interns to trawl iTunes and other community forums posing as real users, and has them write positive reviews for their client's applications. ... Reverb claims that their clients have sold over $2 billion of product under their watch.'"

11 of 217 comments (clear)

  1. Astroturf... by Moof123 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    When in doubt, lie, cheat, and steal. Strong ethics and morales will get you nowhere in this world kids.

    1. Re:Astroturf... by davidphogan74 · · Score: 4, Insightful

      It happens to everything from hotels to restaurants to ISP's. Why not for the App Store?

    2. Re:Astroturf... by rthille · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Sincerity is the secret to success.

      Once you can fake that, you've got it made!

      --
      Awesome furniture, accessories and cabinetry in Santa Rosa, CA: http://humanity-home.com/
  2. Not news by riceboy50 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Companies have been doing this at other places, like Amazon.com, for years. Buyers beware.

    --
    ~ I am logged on, therefore I am.
  3. Who actually cares about the "good" ratings? by Rabbitt · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Personally, I find the 0 - 3 star ratings more telling about an app than the 4 or 5 star (fanboy) ratings. In general, when I want to find out about a product, I like to read the negative to moderate reviews because they seem to be more honest about potential problems. What do you guys think/do?

    --
    Carl P. Corliss
    1. Re:Who actually cares about the "good" ratings? by CannonballHead · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I think both. I find that the more specific they are about things I'm interested in, the more it turns out that's actually a good description about the product. Both negative and positive reviews can be faked for various reasons.

    2. Re:Who actually cares about the "good" ratings? by HighFalutinCoder · · Score: 3, Insightful

      I like to read some of the realistic sounding reviews at every level. The crazies go both ways, and as long as you can pick them out you can get a pretty good overview of the product.

      As nerdy as it is, I think the real reviews of a product tend to make a normal distribution (bell curve).

  4. Modern snake oil salesman by shemp42 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    How is this new? This has been going on long before computers. The snake oil salesman used to do it all the time, they would have somone in the crowd claim fantastic results to sell something that was worthless. What you mean I can't believe every review posted about a product or application? Critical thinking.... what is that? Idiocracy is happening already, humankind is doomed!

  5. Re:And we're giving them /. publicity why? by seanadams.com · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Do you suggest we pretend the evil people don't exist? I imagine the story is intended to out them as the scum they are, not give them publicity.

    Trust me they are thrilled to get "bad" press like this. Anyone who hires spammers, SEO outfits, direct mail companies, shills and the like knows full well that these practices are objectionable to most of society. Picking one firm and giving them front page coverage, saying they're the worst of the worst, is just going to send hordes of unscrupulous paying clients to their doors.

  6. Yeah, but seriously... by PCM2 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    So what is the value of a dollar? A beer? Nope. A newspaper? Not the New York Times. A pack of gum? Not the fancy "winter-blast" chiclet kind. A comic book? Not in years. Paperback book? Sure, if you can get seven more dollars. Let's see... that leaves us with a can of Coke (but not a bottle), or maybe a candy bar (but not the king sized kind).

    But let's raise the stakes a little bit... what's the value of a dollar when you're stuck in an airport? Anyone? Anyone..? So if you can kill a four hour layover in an airport by spending $1 to download a "trivial airport game," I'd say that sounds like a marker for market success, not failure.

    --
    Breakfast served all day!
  7. Liars by Toonol · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Reverb claims that their clients have sold over $2 billion of product under their watch.

    I flatly don't believe them.

    Why would anybody hire them? Why would you believe and have dealings with a company whose product is explicitly stated as lying and deception?