In this conversation, Kristina Braly delves into the troubling world of fake online reviews, exploring how they manipulate consumer trust and the integrity of the marketplace. She discusses the rise of review farms, the impact of fake reviews on honest businesses, and offers strategies for consumers to navigate this deceptive landscape. The conversation emphasizes the importance of critical thinking and consumer empowerment in combating the prevalence of fake reviews.

Producer & Host: Kristina Braly, MD

contact[at]kristinabraly.com

instagram: @icallbswithkb

website: icallbullshit.co

keywords

online reviews, fake reviews, consumer trust, review farms, business integrity, digital deception, consumer empowerment, review manipulation, marketplace integrity, honest feedback

Key Takeaways

• Online reviews can be manipulated and are often not genuine.
• Fake reviews create a false sense of trust in the marketplace.
• Small businesses struggle against larger companies that use fake reviews.
• Review farms employ organized operations to generate fake feedback.
• Consumers need to be critical and discerning when reading reviews.
• Incentivized reviews can lead to biased feedback.
• Platforms must invest in better detection of fake reviews.
• The integrity of the online marketplace is at stake.
• Consumers have the power to demand transparency from businesses.
• Honest feedback is essential for improving products and services.

• Unmasking the Illusion of Online Reviews
• The Dark Side of Digital Testimonials

• "This really chaps my ass."
• "It's a pay to play system."
• "Stay vigilant, stay critical."
• "We can refuse to be manipulated."

Chapters

00:00 The Illusion of Online Reviews

06:15 The Dark Side of Review Farms

12:05 The Impact of Fake Reviews on Consumers

17:51 Navigating the Review Landscape

20:38 Empowering Consumers Against Deception

Citations:

1. Luca, M., & Zervas, G. (2016). Fake It Till You Make It: Reputation, Competition, and Yelp Review Fraud.Management Science, 62(12), 3412-3431. ⁠https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2015.2307⁠
2. Mayzlin, D., Dover, Y., & Chevalier, J. A. (2014). Promotional Reviews: An Empirical Investigation.American Economic Review, 104(8), 2421-2455. ⁠https://doi.org/10.1257/aer.104.8.2421⁠
3. Hu, N., Pavlou, P. A., & Zhang, J. (2012). Overcoming the J-Shaped Distribution of Product Reviews: The Role of Review Informativeness and Variance. Information Systems Research, 23(4), 1243-1261. ⁠https://doi.org/10.1287/isre.1120.0420⁠
4. Chevalier, J. A., & Mayzlin, D. (2006). The Effect of Word of Mouth Versus Traditional Marketing: Evidence from Online Book Reviews. Journal of Marketing Research, 43(3), 345-354. ⁠https://doi.org/10.1509/jmkr.43.3.345⁠
5. Forman, C., Ghose, A., & Wiesenfeld, B. (2008). Examining the Relationship Between Online Reviews and Product Sales: The Contingent Role of Product and Consumer Characteristics. Journal of Interactive Marketing, 22(1), 23-39. ⁠https://doi.org/10.1002/dir.20113⁠