Amazon fake reviews

[Sword 1,330]

Didn't know Amazon is that bad. 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-47941181

"With headphones, all the products on the first page of results sorted by average customer review were from little-known brands and 87% of more than 12,000 reviews for these products were by unverified purchasers" Guardian

Just had a look and it really is true. 

E.g. this is one of the top headphones  on the "average customer review"

 

All the reviews were written on the same date. There are scores of reviews for the same user name. None of the reviews are from verified purchases. 

Amazon can remove nearly all the fake reviews by only allowing reviews from verified purchases only. 

But at least not many people appear to be falling into the traps.

 

Edited April 16, 2019 by Sword

[1949threepence 3,366]

270 to nil 5 stars would raise my suspicions immediately. That never happens so it's unrealistic.

They'd be better introducing a few lower ratings to lend credibility. 

Most ratings on Amazon are totally genuine.

[Sword 1,330]

Yes, 100% 5* is too obvious. It's more dangerous when an Ok product's rating has been improved from say 3.5 stars to 4.5 stars over a longer period of time.

[Peckris 2 2,043]

Some Amazon reviews are worth their weight in gold. Here are the first few for the canvas print of Paul Ross, before it (or they!) were pulled...

(I've tried loads of times to post these including converting the whole caboodle to plain text and removing all links, but I keep getting a "403 Forbidden" - WHY???)

[blakeyboy 1,602]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bic-Crystal-Ballpoint-Medium-Point/dp/B000JTOYLS

Wonderful.

[Peckris 2 2,043]

On the topic of pens, these reviews are a must!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Retractable-Medium-Point-Black-FHAP21-Black/dp/B005PFESMG/ref=pd_sbs_229_1/254-8039283-2715401?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B005PFESMG&pd_rd_r=69b31c70-639a-11e9-beb5-5715658d5e47&pd_rd_w=VjmdR&pd_rd_wg=BRyfI&pf_rd_p=18edf98b-139a-41ee-bb40-d725dd59d1d3&pf_rd_r=P09TQZV6CJG1GJRR0C1J&psc=1&refRID=P09TQZV6CJG1GJRR0C1J

[Peckris 2 2,043]

These are a few reviews of the Paul Ross canvas print (copied and pasted so hopefully I won't get a "Forbidden"):

1. WOW

I've been looking for a 20 Inch Box Canvass of Paul Ross since my (completely inferior) 18 Inch Box Canvass of Paul Ross was damaged during a Barium Enema. Thankfully this Canvass really is excellent. The quality of print complements the sheer majesty of Paul's cherubic face.

For a while I considered mounting a large number of these on my ceiling to create a Paul Ross canvass ceiling but unfortunately I realised that this is what my wife would be staring at during our frenzied horizontal moments, and what kind of a man can compare to Paul Ross in the bedroom? "No-one" I hear you cry!

I've ordered four of these now:
One of them is above the fireplace and is naturally the pride of our entire home.
On the second canvass I've cut out the section where Paul's face is, and when I drive to pick up the kids I wear the canvass and pretend that I'm a famous celebrity dad, the kids simply love it.
The third is purely for recreational purposes, I've cut a whole where Paul's mouth would be because my wife has demanded that we French kiss through the hole (I want to point out that I wear the canvass for kissing, not her! Although I'd gladly turn for just one of Paul's tender mouth hugs.)
The fourth is a backup.

 

2. Yesterday I was a bed ridden, drug addled alcoholic with no hope, no future.
Then I bought this.
Now I'm a bed ridden, drug addled alcoholic with no hope, no future, but with a 20" Canvas of Paul Ross.
You just never know what lies around the corner.

 

3. I used to be a very successful insurance salesman at xxx. I had riches beyond belief: some friends at the country club let me in on this secret that all the old money had canvas printed photos of Paul Ross, so I bought one at auction.

There was something wonderful and majestic about it, some people say the enigmatic smile is a knowing reference to his Merovingian ancestry. It hung for 3 years above the alabaster fireplace in my drawing room, replacing Munch's Scream, which I borrowed from a friend who was also in the insurance business.

But over time there was something unsettling about the picture. At first it sounded like it emitted a high pitched, almost imperceptible, tone, like an old TV set. Then it started whispering things to me. After a while it started telling jokes and then giving me stock tips. Eventually it recommended I invest all my money with a guy called Bernie Madoff.

Now I have nothing, I get high by sucking anti-freeze from car windscreen washers, and even had to take public transport. My only possession is this picture of Paul Ross. It is my love, my life. He completes me.

 

4. Don't buy this picture. It looks fine on the website, but the one they send you is upside-down. My wife hasn't stopped crying for a week.
 

I got "Forbidden" again but discovered what the problem is - Review 3, after "riches beyond belief", contained a long list of luxury items to illustrate the point. Chris P's software obviously searches for trade names and bans them as spam.

Edited April 20, 2019 by Peckris 2