By Daniel Vivarelli. Updated March 2023 in Reputation Management / GuidesA guy from New York asked me how to buy reviews. He needed reviews for his business and getting real reviews was just too hard for him, so he asks “How & where do I buy reviews?” When it comes to your reputation management, buying reviews is an easy subject to understand so let’s dive in.
Buying Reviews: Introduction
Every business wants five-star reviews. And why not? In the new Trust Economy, five-star reviews are a gold mine. Many businesses look to take a shortcut and buy fake reviews. I mean, a few fake reviews isn’t going to hurt anyone, right? Wrong. Federal regulators are now clamping down on businesses buying fake reviews using advance A.I. technology.
Businesses caught with fake reviews risk being shamed and heavily. fined. And the chances of being caught are increasing as the technology to detect fake reviews gets better and better every day. Then what? Better hope those creepers who provided the fake reviews are still around when the day comes they need to be desperately taken down because it’s not them that will get taken to court.
I thought buying reviews was no big deal.
– Anonymous business owner
Now I’m being prosecuted and fined.
Buying Reviews the USA
The Federal Trade Commission is bringing the hammer down on fake reviews. Anyone thinking of buying reviews for a business in the USA be warned: Federal regulators are now taking unprecedented action against “an explosion” of businesses using fake reviews to promote their products and services.
Heavy fines by the FTC
The FTC said [businesses] could face fines up to $43,792 for each violation if they use fake endorsements to deceive consumers.
Federal Trade Commission, October 2021
These fines have been put in place to combat the rise of businesses using fake reviews. Fortune Magazine states that this action by the FTC signals a commitment to use such penalties in order to enforce consumer protection laws. Expect steep penalties for recipients who use endorsements to deceive consumers
“The rise of social media has blurred the line between authentic content and advertising, leading to an explosion in deceptive endorsements across the marketplace,” the FTC said in a release called .
Want to risk buying reviews? Why bother when there are easy ways to get real reviews (see below)
Businesses can expect fines over $43,000 for each violation for using fake endorsements to deceive consumers.
Buying Reviews in the UK
Forbes warns that the UK’s Competition & Markets Authority is being given new powers to fine companies 10% of total revenues if they are caught using fake reviews to sell their products and services.
In our “Trust Economy” reviews are critical. It’s why you’re here. I can tell you right now, the biggest problem you’ll face (and the one thing we hear all the time) is “People say they’ll write a review but most don’t follow through.” It’s time to change that. No guns needed.
Buying Fake Reviews in your country
If it isn’t already illegal to buy fake reviews in your country, it’s just a matter of time. That means when the laws change, anyone sitting on fake reviews is essentially sitting on a huge pile of liability. Do you think those guys in Kuzbekistan who wrote the fake reviews will be there 2 years from now to remove them? Unlikely. They would have pocketed your cash and vanished long ago leaving an online reputation built on a big stinky heap of BS.
Your Reputation is Everything
When getting real reviews is so easy, why risk breaking the law? This is your reputation we’re talking about. We understand you want 5-star reviews (and fast) but buying reviews isn’t the solution to build a long standing reputation that will stand the test of time. Think of every real online review you get as a brick being laid in the foundation of your success.
Win the 5-star reviews you deserve
Want to know how to get online reviews, easily and ethically? Our approach is different. It revolves around planting one tree for every review. This “plant-a-tree” concept has been so effective it landed us an interview in Forbes, has been responsible for getting over 67,000 online reviews and 67,000 trees being planted.
Head on over to our guide on How to Get 100s of (Real) Online Reviews. There’s no need to risk buying online reviews. We’ve done the hard work so just copy our guide and start getting more reviews than ever before.
TL;DR
Here are the steps to buying fake online reviews.
- Don’t do it
- See step 1
If you want a shortcut to real five-star reviews, find a good reputation management agency or sign up for a free trial of Starloop and start getting reviews today.
