BuzzFeeddives deep into the economy of these fake reviews, which includes a subreddit tragically named/r/slavelabour.
(The name is kind of a joke, but a very sad and true one.)
The whole piece is just as depressing, as it basically spells out how utterly doomed Amazon reviews are.
(Planet Moneyrecently covered a similar phenomenon on Alibaba, a Chinese Amazon competitor.)
The seller promises $5 per review.
Sorry, but what the hell does this do to solve the problem?
As BuzzFeed shows, many of these spammers are American adults writing reviews as a hobby or side gig.
An active account with $50 in purchases is not a hurdle for them.
BuzzFeed doesnt name any cases involving high-end products like laptops or Coach bags.
When in doubt, find outside reviews
For a lot of products, this isnt an option.
But thankfully, for most major purchases you might consult outside sites.
Some sites are a little less black and white, as they accept freebies.
Shoppers in a hurry could just check the star rating and make a decision in seconds.
This worked fairly well when the only seller on Amazon was Amazon.
But then Amazon transformed from a store to a marketplace, where anyone could become a seller.
Amazon opened up to third-party sellers so it could scale faster.
Amazon gets a smaller cut, but of exponentially more sales.
The number of products ballooned, and now Amazon can really call itself the everything store.
But the incredible scale is exactly why Amazons rating system is failing.
Theyre not trying to build a multi-generational business that employs thousands of workers.
Others, including an 18-year-old, even solicit sellers and invite them into the world of review fraud.
Its easy to see how a seller feels obligated to join or lose.
(The 18-year-old then resells the stuff he rated on eBay, effectively competing with his client.)
The company also doesnt have the scale to police third-party sellers one by one.
Its sued over a thousand review spammers, but that hasnt stopped the practice from growing.
The ratings system is broken, and it will keep getting worse.
BuzzFeeds deep dive belongs in your Instapaper.
Inside The Ecosystem That Fuels Amazons Fake Review Problem| BuzzFeed News
