Here’s an article from the New York Times that is going to make consumers stop and think for a second. The ratings and review both e-commerce merchants and consumers rely on so much may be a fake.
According to the article, the Federal Trade Commission said on Thursday that California-based marketing and P.R. firm Reverb Communications had settled charges that it engaged in deceptive advertising by having its employees write and post positive reviews of clients’ games in the Apple iTunes Store, without disclosing that they were being paid to do so.
Here’s the complaint filed with the FTC.
And here’s what Tracie Snitker, the founder and VP-communications of Reverb Communications, had to tell the Times about the settlement:
Ms. Snitker declined to be interviewed, but in a statement she said that in discussions with the trade commission, “it became apparent that we would never agree on the facts of the situation.”
“Rather than continuing to spend time and money arguing, and laying off employees to fight what we believed was a frivolous matter, we settled this case and ended the discussion,” she said. Ms. Snitker said that the settlement did not involve any admission of lawbreaking.
Well, the facts seem straight-forward to me. The P.R. firm posted reviews about their clients’ video games without disclosing their relationship with the client.
Lately more and more marketing emails seem to be referencing their top-rated and best-reviewed items in their subject lines and headlines. “Our Customers Speak Out—Shop Top-Rated Toscano Favorites!” is the subject line of a recent message from home decor cataloger Design Toscano. “Want to know what customers like you like best at Orvis?” is a somewhat clunky subject line from outdoor gear cataloger/retailer Orvis. “Protect your investment! 15% off top-rated outdoor furniture covers” teases country-living mailer Plow & Hearth.
