Around 56% of people who shop online noticed favorably skewed ratings on e-commerce websites, while only 16% feel that their unfavorable reviews were regularly displayed in the last year, according to a report.
A survey by LocalCircles found that around 56% of online shoppers noticed positively skewed ratings on eCommerce platforms in the last year. The survey also revealed that only nine percent of users feel that these platforms clearly identify sponsored or influencer reviews. Moreover, just 16% of consumers believe their negative reviews were consistently shown in the past year.
The survey becomes significant as the government considers implementing quality guidelines for consumer reviews on e-commerce platforms. This follows an unsuccessful voluntary effort to combat fake reviews. As per LocalCircles, “56 percent of online shoppers surveyed…noticed positively skewed ratings on eCommerce sites/apps in the past year.”
LocalCircles carried out a countrywide survey to evaluate how well voluntary guidelines for online reviews and ratings were working, given the continuous complaints. The survey collected over 54,000 responses from eCommerce users in 344 districts in India. Even though the standards forbid removing negative feedback, the survey revealed a rise from 45 percent to 52 percent in users facing issues with their negative reviews not being published in the last year.
The survey showed that although there was debate, 46% of online shoppers consistently checked ratings and reviews before buying, with 44% doing so sometimes. Moreover, just nine percent of users said all eCommerce sites had a clear way to spot sponsored or incentivized reviews. On the other hand, 46% noted that no platforms provided this feature.
