VIEWER
VIEWER VOICE POLL. PRESIDENT TRUMP WANTS TO SHUT
DOWN THE SOUTHERN BORDER NEXT
WEEK IF MEXICO DOESN'T STEP UP
TO HELP CURB IMMIGRATION.
WE ARE ASKING IF YOU THINK HE
SHOULD SHUT DOWN THE BORDER.
57% OF YOU SAY NO, 43% SAY YES.
YOU HAVE TIME TO GO TO
KGW.COM/VOTE.
KGW.COM/VOTE. >>> THIS IS SOMETHING THAT
FASCINATES ME.
FASCINATES ME. I DO THIS ALL THE TIME.
I ALWAYS READ REVIEWS BEFORE I
BUY ANYTHING ONLINE.
I KNOW A LOT OF YOU GUYS DO,
TOO.
TOO.
TOO. YOU
TOO. YOU THINK THE MORE FIVE-STAR
REVIEWS, THE BETTER.
NOT NECESSARILY.
NOT NECESSARILY. KGW INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER
CRISTIN SEVERANCE IS JOINING US
LIVE IN THE STUDIO WITH THE
CONSUMER ALERT.
CONSUMER ALERT. IT IS MAKING ME RETHINK THOSE
REVIEWS.
REVIEWS.
REVIEWS. >> ME, TOO.
I LOVE WHEN I LEARN SOMETHING.
THIS ONE DEFINITELY HAS ME
THINKING.
THINKING.
THINKING. CONSUMER EXPERTS SAY THE WHOLE
INDUSTRY OF INCENTIVIZED
REVIEWS HAVE EXPLODED EXCEPT
FOR AMAZON WHERE THEY BANNED THE
PROCESS.
PROCESS.
PROCESS. >> Reporter: WHEN KGW ACCOUNT
MANAGER RACHEL WENT SEARCHING
FOR LASH LENGTHENING SERUM
ONLINE, SHE STUMBLED UPON THIS
ARTICLE.
ARTICLE.
ARTICLE. >> THERE WERE PEOPLE THAT TRIED
IT AND LIKED IT.
THE TITLE OF THE ARTICLE WAS ,
THIS LASH SERUM HAS OVER 5400
REVIEWS.
REVIEWS.
REVIEWS. THAT WAS IN THE TITLE.
>> Reporter: SHE THOUGHT IT WAS
AMAZONS CHOICE MEANING IT WAS
HIGHLY RATED AND WELL PRICED.
>> I THOUGHT IT WAS THEM
PUTTING THEIR SAFETY APPROVAL
STAMPED ON IT.
>> Reporter: THE APPROVALS GROUP
MORE THAN 9000.
SHE PAID $29.95.
>> IT CAME WITH THE PROJECT AND
THIS INTERESTING LITTLE FLYER.
I WONDERED WHAT I DID.
IT LOOKED SUPER SKETCHY.
>> Reporter: THE FLYER OFFERED
A FREE BOTTLE.
ALL CUSTOMERS HAD TO DO WAS
OFFER.
OFFER.
OFFER. >>
OFFER. >> I RECEIVE AN EMAIL SAYING IF
YOU LEAVE US A FIVE-STAR REVIEW
ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE, WE WILL
SEND YOU A BOTTLE.
>> Reporter: THIS IS THE EMAIL
THEY SENT BACK INSTRUCTING
CUSTOMERS TO POST A FIVE-STAR
REVIEW IN EXCHANGE FOR A FREE
BOTTLE.
BOTTLE.
BOTTLE. THE WHOLE PROCESS LEFT RACHEL
FEELING DUE TO.
>> I WAS COERCED INTO BUYING
SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE MAY HAVE
FILLED OUT A GOOD REVIEW JUST
TO GET A GOOD PRODUCT.
>> Reporter: TOMMY NOONAN RUNS
A SITE DEDICATED TO HELPING
PEOPLE SPOT FAKE REVIEWS.
HE SAID THE INCENTIVIZED REVIEW
INDUSTRY HAS EXPLODED, EVEN
THOUGH AMAZON BANNED THE
PROCESS IN 2016.
>> IT TOTALLY WOULD SKEW THE
REVIEW PICTURE.
REVIEW PICTURE. >> Reporter: THEY ARE ALSO
DOING SOMETHING CALLED REVIEW
GATING, WHERE THE BUSINESS ONLY
SOLICITS POSITIVE REVIEWS.
>> THESE RESULTS YOU ARE SEEING
ARE NOT TYPICAL AND THEY ARE
REQUIRED TO DISCLOSE THAT WHICH
THEY ARE DEFINITELY NOT DOING.
>> Reporter: THE MANUFACTURER
HERE JENNEX SAY THEY SELL TO A
DISTRIBUTOR WHO SELLS TO
HUNDREDS OF AMAZON, WALMART AND
eBAY SELLERS.
eBAY SELLERS. THEY ARE NO LONGER SELLING THE
SARAH MOORE ANY OTHER OF THEIR
PRODUCTS.
PRODUCTS.
PRODUCTS. AMAZON SET IN PART, EVEN ONE
INAUTHENTIC REVIEW WAS ONE TOO
MANY.
MANY.
MANY. WE
MANY. WE HAVE CLEAR PARTICIPATION
GUIDELINES FOR BOTH REVIEWERS
AND SELLING PARTNERS AND WE
SUSPEND, BAN AND TAKE LEGAL
ACTION ON THOSE WHO VIOLATE OUR
POLICIES.
POLICIES.
POLICIES. >> I ACTUALLY DO NOT THINK
AMAZON SHOULD ALLOW THIS.
>> OH MY GOODNESS.
WHAT CAN YOU DO IF YOU ARE A
CUSTOMER IF YOU CAN'T TRUST THE
REVIEWS?
REVIEWS?
REVIEWS? HOW CAN YOU TELL IF THESE
PEOPLE ARE WRITING BECAUSE THEY
HAVE BEEN INCENTIVIZED?
>> FTC RULES SAY YOU HAVE TO
SAY IN A REVIEW, YES I GOT THIS
PRODUCT FOR FREE AND I AM NOW
WRITING A REVIEW.
IN THIS CASE, PEOPLE WERE NOT
DOING THAT.
DOING THAT. AMAZON BANNED THE PRACTICE.
WHAT IF YOU ARE A CUSTOMER WHO
READS REVIEWS.
READS REVIEWS. DON'T JUST LOOK AT THE NUMBER
OF STARS.
OF STARS.
OF STARS. A LOT OF US LOOK AND WE SEE
9000 REVIEWS WITH FIVE STARS,
DON'T DO THAT.
READ A FIVE-STAR REVIEW, READ A
THREE STAR, READ A1 START TO
GET A REAL PICTURE. IF YOU
DON'T LIKE IT, IF YOU AREN'T
HAPPY WITH THE PRODUCT OR A
POLICY LIKE THIS, RETURN IT.
IT SENDS A CLEAR MESSAGE TO
AMAZON AND THE SELLER.
YOU CAN FLAG ANY SUSPECT
REVIEWS.
REVIEWS.
REVIEWS. IF YOU SEE A POORLY WRITTEN
REVIEW OR A REVIEW THAT DOESN'T
MAKE SENSE, CHANCES ARE IT IS
AUTOMATED AND NOT AUTHENTIC.
YOU CAN FLAG IT RIGHT THERE.
>> THE TOP THREE WAYS TO FIND
OUT IF IT IS BOGUS, WHAT ABOUT
THE LASHES?
THE LASHES? HOW DID THOSE TURNOUT?
>> SHE WAS NOT CRAZY ABOUT THE
PRODUCT.
PRODUCT.
PRODUCT. SHE SAID SHE HAD AN ALLERGIC
REACTION AND IS RETURNING IT.
SOME PEOPLE MAY BE HAPPY WITH
IT.
IT.
IT. HER
IT. HER GRAPE WAS THE FIVE-STAR
DEAL.
DEAL.
DEAL. >>
DEAL. >> IF YOU HAVE AN IDEA, HE IS
AMAZING.
AMAZING.
AMAZING. YOU CAN EMAIL OR CALL AT
KGW.COM