Amazon Sellers Manipulating Reviews and the Buy Box

For years, I’ve heard people selling products (usually books) write their own reviews on Amazon and/or have their friends “help them out” with reviews regardless of whether they’ve owned or used the product.  At the time, I didn’t think much of it because I didn’t place much weight on reviews.  What one person finds great may be seen as horrible by another and sometimes “hidden gems” don’t get heavy airplay or press.

Since eBay raised its fees and removed Stores from search, more eBay sellers have finally discovered the wisdom of a “multichannel selling strategy.”  Amazon has been one of the more common and popular sales venues for eBay sellers.  As more and more eBay sellers flock to Amazon, categories are becoming more crowded and competition is becoming more prevalent.  As a result, Amazon sellers are scrambling to find ways to increase their profits- whether by offering new products, trying to enter less crowded selling categories, etc.

Competition can be beneficial because it helps sift the “wheat from the chaff” and because it often lowers prices for buyers.  However, in the haste to chase the almighty $ or to get placement in Amazon’s prized “buy box,” Amazon sellers have started reviewing their own products and are seeking as many reviews as they can, regardless of whether the reviewer has ever owned or used the product.  On Amazon, apparently the QUANTITY of reviews matters more than the QUALITY of reviews.  Amazon sellers are also exchanging reviews with each other even if the reviewers have never owned or used the product.

Sellers engaging in this “review pimping” call it a “smart business strategy” because it boosts their frequency in Amazon’s buy box that they believe has resulted in increased sales.  Sellers equate "review pimping" to "item descriptions" on eBay, but seem to forget that "item descriptions" on eBay have NOTHING to do with giving sellers higher placement in search like reviews do on Amazon.  Critics of “review pimping” argue that reviews should only be done by people who have owned or used the product.

Personally, I think that just because you can do something does not mean you should do something.  As a buyer on Amazon, I like to think reviews are by people who OWN and USE the product and thus, the reviews are HONEST and IMPARTIAL.  Now that I know more sellers are “gaming the review system” on Amazon, I'll give reviews even LESS credibility than I already did and I will NOT buy from certain sellers with “questionable reviews.”  Once more buyers learn about the “gaming the review system,” Amazon’s credibility is going to go downhill just like eBay’s has and sellers may find that their "smart business strategy" ruined the legitimacy of Amazon as well as hurt their sales.

What do you think? Does knowing that Amazon sellers are "gaming the review sytem" change your opinion of Amazon?  Will it impact your buying behavior?