Three in four consumers are concerned about fake reviews, according to January 2023 data from Bazaarvoice. Amazon and other retailer websites have a fake reviews problem, and it’s driving consumers—Gen Zers in particular—to seek information about products on social media like TikTok and Reddit.
“People are becoming less trusting of product reviews on places like Amazon due to black hat tactics. They’re looking for authenticity,” said Taylor Strickland, director of media channel strategy at VML.
These black hat tactics refer to fake or misleading reviews, which have become easier to create with generative AI. The problem is so big that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recently announced a ban on fake reviews and fines for violations, which will take effect in October. The ban is a good step, but fake reviews won’t go away.
Positive online ratings or reviews are the most influential part of the path to purchase for clothing and shoes shoppers, according to our June 2024 survey. If shoppers trust reviews on retailers’ sites less, they will look elsewhere. “People are looking for conversational platforms to get ideas or read product reviews,” Strickland said.