Sterntaler: Unfortunately, just like in a fairy tale, not everything is true on the Internet. Photo: Karl-Josef Hildenbrand / dpa-tmn
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(Photo: dpa)
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Incognito research by Stiftung Warentest “The influence of reviews on the purchase decision is so important that many people adjust their behavior accordingly,” says Georg Tryba from the North Rhine-Westphalia consumer center. At the same time, the valuation is initiated and even forced by the trade.
Sandra Schwarz from Stiftung Warentest sums it up like this: “It’s a kind of star industry that is booming.” But the need for orientation is also simply increasing because the variety on the Internet is so great. The end of the story: Fake reviews mix with real customer opinions. Who can still see through and differentiate?
Bought stars
In the course of research, employees of the Stiftung WarentestWorked incognito for agencies that offer Internet retailers reviews for sale – for example ten items for 100 euros. As a “reviewer” you either get a little money for it, you can keep the goods or buy them cheaper.
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One result: When reviews were deliberately written critically, the agencies immediately got involved. According to Stiftung Warentest, two thirds of the reviews were influenced in this way – and positively for the retailers. Some products could only be “judged” on the basis of a photo. If goods were actually bought to qualify as a “verified purchase”, the agency would not reimburse the expenses until after the valuation was approved.
In addition, some of the testers were instructed by the agency to mark good ratings from other reviewers as “useful”.
Better to rely on independent testing
Reviews should be completely left out when making a purchase decision, says Tryba – or at least come last. Because even real reviews would only reflect a feeling. “What knowledge is behind it cannot be understood.” Buyers should therefore primarily orientate themselves on independent tests, such as those of the Stiftung Warentest, advises the consumer advocate.
You can use reviews to get your bearings, judges Schwarz, but shouldn’t be impressed by positive reviews. Schwarz particularly advises looking at the negative comments and looking for matches.
“You shouldn’t completely demonize it,” says Christian Wölbert from the computer magazine “c’t”. Reviews could well indicate points that did not work or that describe a product from a different perspective. “Just don’t look at it as an independent test result.”
Wölbert is critical of the strategy of only looking for negative reviews: It is entirely possible that these are also fake, for example to harm competitors.
Check reviewers
Georg Tryba basically does not think it is possible to recognize fake reviews: “Those who run such a business know the tricks and, for example, consciously incorporate errors into the text.”
There is actually no method that can be used to differentiate between false and authentic reviews with certainty, says Christian Wölbert. But you can find clues, for example by reading other reviews from the reviewer: “If the profile only has five-star ratings, you should be skeptical.”
Search keywords
The same applies if many positive reviews have been given in quick succession or a bad one is followed by several really good ones, says goods tester Schwarz. “That speaks for the fact that it is controlled, whereby an agency does not necessarily have to be behind it, the dealers themselves also become active.”
In addition, users could search for keywords that are important to them. A tip from Stiftung Warentest: Enter unusual formulations from a review in a search engine. If they appear in other products as well, that is suspicious.
Info box: Report anything suspicious
If you find an online review suspicious, you can report it. Experts believe that this is not enough to really effectively combat counterfeiting. The Federal Cartel Office comes after one Sector inquiry to the conclusion that “many portals could do a lot more against the publication of fake reviews.” Most of them only used word filters or relied on subsequent reports of conspicuous reviews.
Press release Bundeskartellamt on sector investigation
Video Bundeskartellamt with tips
Incognito research by Stiftung Warentest (edition 7/20)
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