Fake Reviews from Affiliates

eric w 11 years ago

This is a problem, not just in clickbank.

Some reviews I wouldn't call fake, but they're cookie-cutter reviews. Look, I've given several reviews in the warrior forum and I do my best to give a really honest review. I've had a couple of product creators respond to me negatively, as if they are expecting me to just give them a glowing positive testimonial.

If it's good, yes, but I give my honest opinion. I usually pm the review instead of putting it in a thread, so the seller can decide in private whether to use it or not and it's not out for everyone to see.

I believe there should be 2 types of reviews (and subconsciously I believe many already know this)

One being a "read" review, which overwhelmingly, most are...meaning, i read your pdf or watch the videos and I rant about it without implementing.

The other, being an action/implementation review. How many sales would people make if all reviews were based on someone implementing the seller's strategies? That would really separate the wheat from the chaff.

I didn't mean to go off on a tangent.
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Sheila Ross

11 years ago

Fake reviews are spoiling the natural beauty of a product. A shameless way to represent a product to the customers when the real customers become confused too.

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JEasy

11 years ago

Originally Posted by SickNickel

Hello WFers,

So I launched my first product earlier this week and also have it on ClickBank. I haven't sold any yet (I didn't have a list and no hype or anything) but I have multiple "reviews." One "review" site even has "58" votes on how "awesome" my product is...and....since no one has purchased it....I'm kinda confused!!

They're not bad "reviews" at all...makes it look like I'm awesome...but...it's all fake....

Ha, are affiliates really this dishonest with the public? Do I need to do anything about these "reviews?"

yep...this is how the game is played...
No worries...you'll profit from it...no need to do a thing

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DianaHeuser

11 years ago

Originally Posted by JEasy

yep...this is how the game is played...
No worries...you'll profit from it...no need to do a thing

And that's why Internet Marketing gets a bad name. Because of advice like that.

Di

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JEasy

11 years ago

Originally Posted by DianaHeuser

And that's why Internet Marketing gets a bad name. Because of advice like that.

Di

Hey it's the truth. This is why people tell you to create your own products. You'll then have an "Army" of affiliates. Ready to lie, deceive, and all that good stuff.

He may as well get the money.

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DianaHeuser

11 years ago

Originally Posted by JEasy

Hey it's the truth. This is why people tell you to create your own products. You'll then have an "Army" of affiliates. Ready to lie, deceive, and all that good stuff.

He may as well get the money.

Sure! Right up to the time when he gets busted. His reputation gets trashed and his entire business goes down the toilet.

The question is would you like to make a quick buck and then get bounced? And sooner or later you will get bounced if you use unethical methods.

Or would having a business that goes on for years and years making you money because you built it on a solid ethical foundation not be a better idea?

Just a thought. Use it. Don't use it

Di

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Paul Myers 11 years ago

The ethical question seems obvious. There's another issue some folks seem to be ignoring, or possibly just unaware of.

If you know someone is promoting your product using fraudulent reviews and don't do anything to stop it, you may be committing fraud yourself in the eyes of the law. If there are problems resulting from those fraudulent reviews and it's shown you knew about them, you could have some serious liability.

Note: I am not a lawyer. Take this for whatever you think it's worth.

Paul
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TomYevsikov

11 years ago

Fake reviews look fake.

But it's ok, we all take wrong actions sometimes out of sheer desperation..

Keep fighting

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contentwriting360

Banned 11 years ago

I am not a lawyer. Take this for whatever you think it's worth.

Indeed, you're not a lawyer but I think you nailed it, Paul.

The same obvious rule/law applies here in the Philippines. If, beyond any reasonable doubt, it has been proven that you had a participation to the crime, even if you didn't do it physically, you're still part of the crime and will take partake to the due punishment.

SickNickel, my fellow Warrior, I salute how you stand in the name of "integrity." That's just the way how we should do business. Yes, it's always tempting to do the otherwise, but doing what is right pays in the end. All of us reap fruits, not before the tree is planted, but after it has grown-up.

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Jackson Tan

11 years ago

argh... Fake reviews... it totally spoil our reputation.. but that the real world out there where dogs eat dogs and money is involved.. please do your business with pride and integrity.. by reporting them, will it cost you? hmmm

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rosetrees

11 years ago

I think it's the latest tactic, presumably being taught somewhere. I've pulled my one and only product from Clickbank. I was fed up with two things.
a) sites that tagged it with "scam" - for example "your product scam" as one of their keywords
b) the latest thing was sites springing up saying something like "245 users surveyed were happy with this product". I left a cheeky comment on some of them asking how they knew who my users were!

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stevenschofield

11 years ago

I am all about the truth I really do think that it's the best way to market online
and if I do a review and think that the product is crap I will say so and if the product is amazing I will say so I just say it how it is no point lying

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ReputationProfessor 11 years ago

Fake reviews are illegal. FTC rules can be found here: The FTC
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talfighel

11 years ago

Originally Posted by SickNickel

Hello WFers,

So I launched my first product earlier this week and also have it on ClickBank. I haven't sold any yet (I didn't have a list and no hype or anything) but I have multiple "reviews." One "review" site even has "58" votes on how "awesome" my product is...and....since no one has purchased it....I'm kinda confused!!

They're not bad "reviews" at all...makes it look like I'm awesome...but...it's all fake....

Ha, are affiliates really this dishonest with the public? Do I need to do anything about these "reviews?"

Unless that person, in their review, told people that they used it and it is a good product, then these are just dishonest affiliates.

You can write a review about a product that you never used before. You can point all its benefits and stuff like that but when you never used it yourself and say that you did, that is just lying.

People will do anything for a quick buck.

But don't get me wrong here. You can do a review but don't say you used it yourself when you actually did not.

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AndreasJacobsen

11 years ago

I think a saying I have heard from some big name marketers like Alex Jeffreys and Dean Holland fits in well in this discussion:
"aim for long term wealth, not short term income" (or something like that)

but you are aiming for short term income when having fake reviews around your product, or having written one yourself. It will hurt your credibility, and in the business world that is the most important aspect to protect.

I would say, do something about it. Makes you look good, no people will get deceived and it is just good karma. Also, there is the fraud issue as Paul Myers mentioned.

That is my 2c. Hope you figure it out

- Andreas

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satrap

11 years ago

Sadly it seems like lots of reviews online are fake. It's just sad though. There are actually companies that go out and build fake positive reviews for businesses. It's just such a shame.

As for your situation, I would contact the site and ask them to pull the reviews down.

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Parry

11 years ago

Many Clickbank vendors use fake reviews but there is nothing more genuine than giving authentic testimonials of people who have experienced the value of your product. If you display fake reviews you will also have a higher refund rate because of some expectations that might be set by the fake reviews. Clickbank will quickly catch on and you may find your account shut down.

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Randall Magwood

11 years ago

Same thing happens with my product. Only except... i get sales with my product. But comes with the territory. Affiliates will do anything to earn a buck, especially the struggling ones.

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yesacpow 11 years ago

It really depends on the wording of their reviews. If they say you product is good from a 3rd persons perspective then I'm not sure if anything would be wrong with that.

Pretty much the same as how doctors would recommend some medications. Not that they used them themselves, or a mechanic would recommend a certain oil for your engine etc.

On the other hand, if they are doing flogs (fake reviews) claiming that they used your product and achieve a certain result then that is not only fake but downright lie and deceiving.
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