online-shopping-how-to-spot-fake-reviews-from-real-ones

Owing to the raging Coronavirus pandemic, online shopping has proven to be a safer option than navigating brick and mortar stores.

While online shopping platforms have made it possible for us to shop in comfort and safety, we face a danger lurking in the corner, ‘Fake Reviews’.

These days, it is difficult to tell real reviews from fake ones, especially as there are bot reviews, paid reviews, and even review exchange clubs. As we approach the holidays, you need to know how to distinguish between fake and real reviews so that you don’t fall prey to fake sites or products. Here is how;

1. Read through the Reviews Carefully

Rather than judging by the average star rating, endeavor to read as many reviews as you can and take note of what they say.

A red flag to watch out for is reviews that contain model numbers, official product names, and other unnecessary jargon you would never include if you were leaving a review. Also, check for spelling and grammatical errors. Most fake reviews are outsourced to persons and content farms that don’t pay close attention to spellings.

Research has also shown that reviews with overused pronouns are often fake, but with the writer trying to make it seem as human and natural as possible. A real review is mostly precise, simple, and specific.

2. Check the Review Timeline

Be on the lookout for products that amass lots of positive reviews within a short time frame, as they are most probably fake. To know for sure, you can check if the seller is offering discounts, promotions, or holiday deals, as this can naturally increase purchases and reviews. If there is no substantial reason for such a review surge, you are most likely looking at fake reviews.

3. Study the Reviewer’s Profile

Dig deep into the history of some reviewers on a product page and find out how many product reviews they have made. If you find only a single review, you might be looking at a fake account.

On the other hand, ‘professional reviewers’ who receive money and products to give 5-star reviews will have a high volume of review history. If they have issued tons of 5-star reviews and sing the praises of all the products, they were most likely paid. However, a real reviewer should have a history of reviewing products across several companies, sellers, and categories, with unique reviews.

Also, watch out for generic names and profiles without photos. They are the ultimate red flags.

4. Pay attention to Average Reviews

The best way to get an honest insight into a product is to look out for the average reviews of 3-4 stars and study the details. Those reviews are the most real because they come from people who have used the products and share insights on the positive and negative sides to these products. Compare the average reviews to the 5-stars and see if they are saying the same thing.