Can you trust product reviews on Amazon, Walmart, Sephora, and Best Buy?
A recent study by data collection experts at SOAX tackled the issue of fake reviews, analyzing multiple e-commerce sites using the AI-powered review checker tool, Fakespot, to evaluate their credibility.
Researchers analyzed product reviews from major online retailers to test their reliability and authenticity.
Researchers tested four different e-commerce platforms supported by Fakespot’s analyzer tool: Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy, and Sephora. Ten items were randomly picked out across different product categories to inform the results.
Fakespot provides a reliable review percentage and a ‘Review Grade’, classified as: A and B: Reviews are reliable, C: Mix of reliable and unreliable reviews, D and F: Insufficient reliable reviews.
Amazon
Amazon is the leading online retailer in the US with millions of products sold daily, leaving it vulnerable to fake reviews.
Through randomized checks, the study found that, on average, 65.83% of Amazon reviews are reliable, with the most common Fakespot Review Grade being C. On one product, a garden hose, over 70% of reviews were deemed unreliable with ‘high deception’ involved.
Amazon’s primary issue stems from fake and altered reviews with warnings that ‘Amazon has altered, modified or removed reviews from this listing’ popping up on five out of 10 product pages.
Sephora
Sephora is a top beauty retailer in the US. Makeup products are typically not valid for return once opened, making online reviews crucial. The study found that only an average of 59.84% of reviews are reliable, with 5 out of 10 products graded D – more than any other retailer tested.
While this may ring alarm bells for beauty shoppers, Sephora’s main issue stems from incentivized reviews. These are when customers are given something in exchange for their review of a product, such as a free product or discount.
Seven out of 10 products warned of a high percentage of reviews being from Incentivized Reviewers. While these types of reviews can include bias, they do not immediately suggest deception was involved as many still provide honest reviews.
Walmart
The study found that on average 76% of Walmart’s reviews were reliable with most products receiving an A or B grade.
The least reliable product, a cookware set, recorded over 50% of reviews as unreliable. However, most products had over 80% reliable reviews making the platform more trustworthy than Amazon and Sephora.
Best Buy
Best Buy focuses on consumers’ electronic needs; however, tech can be a top category for fake reviews due to the high price points involved. The study found that on average over 90% of reviews on Best Buy were reliable, the best of all retailers. Overall, nine out of 10 products were graded A with one B.
Reviewers generally wrote informative reviews with an average review count of 414 characters which suggests time and personalization went into the reviews. Most reviews were also from ‘verified purchasers’, which adds further validity.
Here are 5 essential tips on how to spot fake reviews:
Look for verified purchases: Reviews labeled as “Verified Purchase” are more likely to be genuine, as they indicate the reviewer actually bought the product.
Watch for over-the-top language: Be cautious of overly enthusiastic or generic reviews that lack specific details about the product. Real reviews tend to be more nuanced, mentioning both pros and cons.
Check for review patterns: If multiple reviews sound similar or use identical wording, they may be from the same source. Pay attention to suspiciously high ratings with little detail.
Consider the review volume: A sudden spike in reviews or a disproportionate number of 5-star ratings can sometimes indicate manipulation. Balanced feedback is usually more trustworthy.
Use tools like Fakespot: For an added layer of confidence, tools like Fakespot can analyze the reliability of reviews and help you make more informed decisions.
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