Amazon vendors used “Sold by Amazon” label to manipulate reviews

Reviews are one of the buyers’ deciding factors when making purchases. But if you don’t use them properly, they can tilt shoppers to choose your competitors.

That’s precisely why many have tried manipulating reviews in their favor. For instance, a recent report by the International Business Times exposed the suspected review manipulation by vendors under the "Sold by Amazon" label.

?? A pretty ugly practice

The allegations state that vendors were “dangling gift cards and cash” so buyers would give them glowing reviews. And guess which category these bad actors sell in? The beauty sector!

• This sector is a prime hunting ground for review scammers to reel customers because it’s subjective and easy to sneak into. Also, the “sheer flood of beauty products” makes it hard for Amazon to monitor every listing even with automation. ???
• Unlike 3P sellers, 1P vendors of beauty products sell directly to Amazon. They’re often linked to major brands and operate under different rules.?
• The beauty industry generates $100 billion and has no problem with ad budgets. In 2022, approximately $7.7 billion were spent on advertising.?

With fake review brokers being active for a while and generative AI making it easier to churn fraudulent content, bad actors have no problem deceiving buyers and sellers.

??? Get fighting

Amazon has been cracking down on fake reviews, even suspending Amazon-native brands like Mpow and Aukey because of them. In 2023, Amazon filed 150 lawsuits against review scammers.

But despite the efforts, there are gaps Amazon can’t seem to fill. It’s a good thing that you can also help defeat such unethical practices. By reporting suspicious reviews on your listing as soon as you spot them, you can greatly contribute to the fight against fake reviews.