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Have you ever been offered an incentive to give a product a good review?

MSE_James
MSE_James Posts: 1,514 Community Admin
1,000 Posts Fourth Anniversary Cashback Cashier Newshound!
edited 6 January pm31 1:59PM in Consumer rights
Just before Christmas our founder @MSE_Martin posted on social media about being offered an incentive by the vendor to leave a positive review of something he'd bought
  
https://x.com/MartinSLewis/status/1867588006607290654 



@MSE_Emily from our news team is gathering stories from people who've had the same experience - has this happened to you? Did you take up the offer? 
Official MSE Forum Team member.
Please report all problem posts to forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com
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Comments

  • FlorayG
    FlorayG Posts: 1,597 Forumite
    Sixth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    I made a complaint to a will writing company and asked for a refund of my money because they hadn't provided the service. They said they would refund ONLY if I left them a five star review first. I said I would leave them a good review if they refunded me no problem but they refused, they insisted on the review first and it had to be five star
  • oldagetraveller1
    oldagetraveller1 Posts: 1,410 Forumite
    Fifth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    edited 6 January pm31 3:12PM
    Yes, more than once. Usually to my Amazon registered e-mail. Never taken them up on the offer.
    Different scenario, but I recently bought an "action camera" from a Marketplace seller which included a s.d. card. On that card was a "gift" option. In exchange, for writing a favourable review and submitting a copy to a gmail address, when it was published, they would send a gift from a number of choices. 
    No thanks. I formatted the card to remove the offer. 
    I don't trust them.
  • TELLIT01
    TELLIT01 Posts: 17,500 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 10,000 Posts Name Dropper PPI Party Pooper
    Never been offered a cash incentive to leave a 5 star review, and wouldn't accept if it was offered.  I did complement the new manager of our local on how good a job he was doing turning the place around.  It had gone downhill very badly over the past few years.  He just asked if I could put a review up as positive feedback is great to receive.
  • bioboybill
    bioboybill Posts: 3,462 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    I was offered an incentive for a 5 star review on Amazon. I told the person that I had no need for the item, and they said that was fine, just give us the review and we'll send £5 by paypal. I declined, as I didn't want to deceive people.
  • Nebulous2
    Nebulous2 Posts: 5,504 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    I dabbled in Amazon reviews years ago, and got some free pieces of low-cost equipment to review. I didn't give them all five star reviews, and commented in the review that the item had been free. 

    Amazon then banned that practice and without the two being connected I lost interest as I largely stopped buying from Amazon. 

    I still get very occasional offers, possibly because my Amazon reviews are still there. They tend to be very bizarre things, and often request that the review be 5 stars. 

    I regularly review services, food and attractions on Google, but have never had any offers there. Sometimes a thanks or a grumpy response from the owner in a comment,  depending on whether they liked the review. 
  • Wyndham
    Wyndham Posts: 2,556 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Yes, I've been offered this a couple of times. In both cases, I've actually liked the product. So I've written a review to say that, but only given them 3 stars, then explained that the two stars have been docked because they made the offer, with a warning to others to look at the 5 star reviews carefully.

    I have left google reviews for a couple of local companies who I feel do a good job. I know that this helps them, so I'm happy to do it. Others have asked, but I've been less impressed with them (nothing major, just don't feel they are exceptional) so in those cases I haven't bothered. Unless it's really awful I work by the maxim of 'if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all'.

  • born_again
    born_again Posts: 18,418 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Fifth Anniversary Name Dropper
    Yep.

    Very MSE to take a bribe. I just leave a honest review.
    Life in the slow lane
  • IvanOpinion
    IvanOpinion Posts: 22,466 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    edited 7 January pm31 3:45PM
    If I see 'paid-for' reviews it makes me cautious and even if I do buy I would refuse to leave my own review (I wouldn't want my name tainted by being in among paid-for-reviews).

    I would rarely leave a 5-star review since that is purely for those cases were the company went above and beyond expectations. Similarly I reserve 1-star reviews for hotels that make me queue up in the morning to get a lounger (but then what is life without whimsy).
    Past caring about first world problems.
  • nanto3girls
    nanto3girls Posts: 5,969 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Never been offered payment for a 5* review.

  • JadedAngel88
    JadedAngel88 Posts: 237 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 100 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    I have received 5 star review requests on Amazon and eBay. The ones that have offered cash I've done and then changed the review if it was necessary after. But if they offer credit to their own store I don't bother.

    I remember one on Amazon, I'd bought some ear buds from them and they were terrible so I returned them to Amazon and left them the appropriate review. The seller then contacted me and said if I change my review to 5 stars they'd pay me £10 in cash. So I did, they paid the money and I changed my review back to the original one.
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