Those who think that a quick glance at Amazon ratings was good enough homework before adding that product to the cart, they are in for a rude shock. While everyone at some point has either trusted or doubted the metrics of ratings, not many are aware that the entire process can be abused enough to be completely unreliable. So much so that it is easily possible to circumvent the system and list one product along with the ratings of a completely different item.
The practice has been recently brought to light by tech-influencer channel, Beebomco. In a video explaining the scam, the host says, "This is the biggest Amazon scam ever. This drone listing has 4.8 stars and 88 ratings and is even the number one bestseller but if you dig deeper you can see that this used to be a listing of portable ironing machine and the reviews and ratings are of ironing machine instead."
Listed products and rated products are completely different
He further explains the malpractice with pictures, of reviews written at the fag end of review pages, where people can be seen complaining about having received an iron instead.
He adds, "You can all see the reviews of people where people who paid did not even get the drone in question. We came across multiple listings with more than 4.5 stars and the oldest reviews were of completely random things. The thing is sellers can easily change the product on the listing at any given time and the ratings and reviews will not change."
It's easy to create listings as sellers
The issue is just the proverbial tip of the iceberg as he further underscores the myriad ways in which the entire rating system can be circumvented.
"We even posed as a seller and created a listing on Amazon. We could easily change the product name and the photos." It is not just small time vendors who are tempted to misuse the system but even big companies of repute who are resorting to unethical practices. "We also found big brands doing it like this Anker Q20i listing which had the good ratings of the old discontinued Anker Q10i."
So what to do as a buyer?
It is not just the products whose ratings can be highly unreliable but the business house selling the products too. The video post resonated with several who came forward in the comment section to share similar experiences.
So what can the consumers do to avoid getting swindled? Not relying solely on the ratings given at one site might also be a good start. While few and far between, there are various independent reviewers that give unsponsored and objective assessment of the products. They are another reliable source of information in a highly digitized influencer driven world.
"The scariest part is that anyone can buy an Amazon account with good reviews and ratings and Telegrams and Reddit writings and change it to anything. This is a huge scam so make sure you read the latest reviews before buying stuff," he signs off.
While Amazon is the poster face and a generic name of sorts when it comes to online shopping, the scam is not limited to only one online platform. Earlier this year, the restaurant reviews scam on Google came to light wherein people were offered bribes in exchange of favourable food reviews.
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