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Do Retailers Often Screen User Reviews?

Posted by Soulskill on from the four-and-a-half-stars dept.

Mechanist.tm writes "I recently purchased a NAS from a well-known online computer component shop. I have purchased several items from the website and have never had much trouble before. That was until I realized what I had bought was a terrible NAS. All the reviews on the site from users seemed very good. After a little research, it became clear that the product in question was indeed terrible. After finding the product pretty much useless for its intended purpose, I proceeded to write a review for it on the website to inform other would-be buyers. After about a week, I noticed that the review never made it up there, so I wrote another one just in case. After several attempts to leave a negative review for the product, I realized that the website was screening reviews and only posting the ones that made the products look good. All the reviews on the website are positive; I've only found one at less than 3 out of 5 stars. Is this legal? Ethically speaking, it's wrong, and it's intentionally misleading to the customer. Is there a good place to report behavior like this? How common is this among online retailers who provide user reviews?"

5 of 454 comments (clear)

  1. Overstock.com does not publish negative reviews by jestill · · Score: 5, Informative

    I have had my reviews not published on Overstock when they were negative. I tried multiple times to get the review online, and I quit buying anything from overstock without first finding external reviews. I have never had a review not accepted from Amazon, even when they were negative.

    --
    "Asleep at the switch? I wasn't asleep, I was drunk!" -- Homer
  2. buy.com by danpritts · · Score: 5, Informative

    I've had this happen at buy.com - i bought this:

    http://www.buy.com/prod/ifrogz-iphone-3g-3gs-luxe-soft-touch-case-red-black/q/loc/101/208441113.html

    and it was a piece of junk, finish ruined after a couple days in my pocket. It broke in pieces after 2 months.

    I posted reviews to buy.com (where i bought it) and they magically never appeared.

    I won't shop there anymore. Amazon rules.

  3. Yes. by benjamindees · · Score: 5, Informative

    Home Depot "approves" reviews and failed to post a negative review I gave for an air conditioner recently.

    --
    "I assumed blithely that there were no elves out there in the darkness"
  4. Re:The real question is... by Mechanist.tm · · Score: 5, Informative

    Which shop?

    overclockers

  5. Re:Which one? by Mechanist.tm · · Score: 5, Informative

    .co.uk