unethical business experience *LONG READ*

[ben voyonsdonc]

If I'm spending hundreds or thousands of dollars in a market where there is a lot of choice, I'll usually check reviews. I know that reviews are often skewed by the angry people who are motivated by a review and keep that in mind. I look for themes and patterns rather than a single specific review. If 15 people out of 20 say the business is not delivering what they promised or are consistently providing bad service, I'll absolutely avoid going there. If people were legitimately ripped off or mistreated, I'd want to know about it.

I don't leave a ton of reviews but, when I do, try to do so honestly rather than in a malicious way. I think it is valuable to share experiences with other future clients.

Do you ask for references when you hire? Do you buy 100% of what each reference says or do you look for patterns, themes, or warning flags?

[ben voyonsdonc]

Originally Posted by Sliver

It's the aggregate of the stars that have a compounding affect that can harm businesses. I just looked at one of my competitors. He's got a 4.9 with eight reviews (all a little suspect, if you know what I mean) and I have a 4.5 with about 30 reviews.

I don't know about anyone else but if I see a 4.5 with a lot of reviews and a 5.0 with a few reviews, I'll always go with the 4.5.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by ben voyonsdonc

I don't know about anyone else but if I see a 4.5 with a lot of reviews and a 5.0 with a few reviews, I'll always go with the 4.5.

Well, that's the most comforting thing I've read in this thread.

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by Scroopy Noopers

I don’t even know what a 4 star business is anyway… the whole thing is dumb to me and I’ve never paid attention to it. Outside of maybe hotels and restaurants, how can a mercantile establishment be less than 5 stars if they gave me the product I wanted for the amount of money they asked for? I see posts in here like “maybe it’s only a 4 star business” and have no idea what that even means. Was the employee who was probably turned over 4 times in the last year not smiling enough?

Here's a good example:

https://goo.gl/maps/A26ZakQqkWreQqsR7

I've had both good and bad luck at this place. It is what it is. Cheap junk with no one around to help. The reviews are helpful to read, as they tell you exactly what the place is. The overall star rating feels fair for that. If I had never been there, I'd read these, and know exactly what type of place I was walking in to, but I'd still go if they might have what I was looking for, or just to browse. But I wouldn't expect high levels of service or quality, the reviews make that clear.

[TopChed]

Originally Posted by Sliver

It's the aggregate of the stars that have a compounding affect that can harm businesses. I just looked at one of my competitors. He's got a 4.9 with eight reviews (all a little suspect, if you know what I mean) and I have a 4.5 with about 30 reviews.

On no planet is his company better than ours, but you wouldn't know that if you just looked at the stars.

If you read the reviews and our responses to negative ones, I think it would really put anybody's mind at ease about working with us. Fortunately, the negative reviews we have are primarily from wingnuts and I think it shows, but my concern is you have to actually click and then put in the effort of reading the reviews to come to that conclusion. The star rating is what's visible and can lead somebody to going one way versus another.

Spending my personal money - yes, I can't help but notice the star review because it is so front and centre when you Google a business. You can't miss it. If a company has a below four-star rating, it absolutely catches my attention and - in spite of my best efforts - colours my first impression of the company.

If a company had a one-star rating, I would be very suspect of working with them. If I had time to dig, I could maybe put my mind at ease. If I'm in a rush, I could see just moving on to the next company without that red flag. That flag - btw - could be falsely and/or maliciously planted, but here I am making decisions based on it.

So every time I get a one-, two-, three- or four-star rating, it drags me down a little more. I think that negatively affects my business and I'm defenseless against it. I would like to opt out of being rated, but I can't. And I can't prevent people from one-star bombing me unfairly. And while I can reply to their comments, I can't mitigate the downward pressure on that star rating.

The thing is, I'm sure a lot of people in this thread would prefer your business over the competitor if they're strictly basing it on Google reviews. I don't trust any company that has 100% positive reviews, especially if there are less than 10.

The review system isn't perfect, but I don't think most people are basing decisions on the aggregate number that Google puts beside a business if it's anything close to a meaningful purchase. I like being able to comb through and read a business' responses to negative reviews.

[Scroopy Noopers]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

Here's a good example:

https://goo.gl/maps/A26ZakQqkWreQqsR7

I've had both good and bad luck at this place. It is what it is. Cheap junk with no one around to help. The reviews are helpful to read, as they tell you exactly what the place is. The overall star rating feels fair for that. If I had never been there, I'd read these, and know exactly what type of place I was walking in to, but I'd still go if they might have what I was looking for, or just to browse. But I wouldn't expect high levels of service or quality, the reviews make that clear.

Okay well my decision would have been made on name alone…

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by Scroopy Noopers

Okay well my decision would have been made on name alone…

Then you would miss out some sweet sweet deals on...uhm...these virgins.

Spoiler!

It's basically Princess Auto with more random stuff, and worse quality.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

Then you would miss out some sweet sweet deals on...uhm...these virgins.

Spoiler!

It's basically Princess Auto with more random stuff, and worse quality.

Yeah, I've never been, but have to make the trip. Their weird stuff shows up on so many things I look for on Kijiji. Seems like such a crazy store.

[Wormius]

Originally Posted by Sliver

Yeah, I've never been, but have to make the trip. Their weird stuff shows up on so many things I look for on Kijiji. Seems like such a crazy store.

It is kind of a mess in there; an Addams Family themed Princess Auto, if you like that kind of oddballishness.

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by Sliver

Yeah, I've never been, but have to make the trip. Their weird stuff shows up on so many things I look for on Kijiji. Seems like such a crazy store.

From the reviews, you should know to keep your expectations...medium to low.

[PaperBagger'14]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

From the reviews, you should know to keep your expectations...medium to low.

How many stars would you say?

[FireFly]

This has been a super enlightening conversation. I am not one to use reviews to determine where I will shop as I usually avoid human interaction anyway. I will use reviews to determine which product I buy, or which recipe I will cook with. Those are the two most important functions of star ratings.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by Wormius

It is kind of a mess in there; an Addams Family themed Princess Auto, if you like that kind of oddballishness.

oh god that sounds like shopping hell to me

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by PaperBagger'14

How many stars would you say?

Not 5.

[GordonBlue]

Originally Posted by FireFly

This has been a super enlightening conversation. I am not one to use reviews to determine where I will shop as I usually avoid human interaction anyway. I will use reviews to determine which product I buy, or which recipe I will cook with. Those are the two most important functions of star ratings.

bad idea.

My wife is an excellent cook and any time she says she's going to try a recipe that's buzzing with great online reviews, it's crap.

the internet masses have a poor palate.

[PeteMoss]

Originally Posted by Sliver

It's the aggregate of the stars that have a compounding affect that can harm businesses. I just looked at one of my competitors. He's got a 4.9 with eight reviews (all a little suspect, if you know what I mean) and I have a 4.5 with about 30 reviews.

On no planet is his company better than ours, but you wouldn't know that if you just looked at the stars.

If you read the reviews and our responses to negative ones, I think it would really put anybody's mind at ease about working with us. Fortunately, the negative reviews we have are primarily from wingnuts and I think it shows, but my concern is you have to actually click and then put in the effort of reading the reviews to come to that conclusion. The star rating is what's visible and can lead somebody to going one way versus another.

Spending my personal money - yes, I can't help but notice the star review because it is so front and centre when you Google a business. You can't miss it. If a company has a below four-star rating, it absolutely catches my attention and - in spite of my best efforts - colours my first impression of the company.

If a company had a one-star rating, I would be very suspect of working with them. If I had time to dig, I could maybe put my mind at ease. If I'm in a rush, I could see just moving on to the next company without that red flag. That flag - btw - could be falsely and/or maliciously planted, but here I am making decisions based on it.

So every time I get a one-, two-, three- or four-star rating, it drags me down a little more. I think that negatively affects my business and I'm defenseless against it. I would like to opt out of being rated, but I can't. And I can't prevent people from one-star bombing me unfairly. And while I can reply to their comments, I can't mitigate the downward pressure on that star rating.

No idea what you do - but just offer people a coupon or a free shoe shine or a Tim Hortons gift card for a good review like all the companies selling through Amazon do these days.

Lets get those review numbers up.

[Boblobla]

Originally Posted by Sliver

It's the aggregate of the stars that have a compounding affect that can harm businesses. I just looked at one of my competitors. He's got a 4.9 with eight reviews (all a little suspect, if you know what I mean) and I have a 4.5 with about 30 reviews.

On no planet is his company better than ours, but you wouldn't know that if you just looked at the stars.

This seems like a completely unbiased and fact based observation.

[Cecil Terwilliger]

This thread has made me think about how I actually use reviews. That’s whats at issue here. It’s not really about what kind of rating is fair or how people rate businesses, it’s about how we use them. Also, ratings are useless, I ignore them. Reviews though, are super helpful.

First, what’s the source? Google reviews with comments, and sometimes pictures, are useful. The rating itself is not. And they have to be recent. 3 year old reviews mean zilch to me. Reviews on a website itself are touch and go. Amazon? Completely useless and 90% of the 5 star reviews are fake. I ignore reviews that complain about shipping, that’s got nothing to do with the product. On other sites, like for clothing, I usually read most recent and lowest rating. I want to see what the general trend is.

FTR I’ve never left a google review in my life. I don’t like that it shows my real name. I’ve always feared a scenario like OP where some psycho business owner starts threatening me.

I don’t really pay attention to stars, like most people have said. But what I do look at is the recent reviews and comments. And the pictures! So important for restaurants.

I want to know what the general impression is from people. If one random says a restaurant sat them too close to the door and their server forgot to sing happy birthday, well #### that person. Their review is useless to me. But if there’s multiple 1/2/3 star reviews that the pizza is too greasy and the sauce tastes like ragu, then I’m probably gonna order someplace else.

Sometimes I even read the reviewers other reviews to see if they idiots or Karen’s or whatever. Even trusted reviewers or local guides can often be untrustworthy idiots. Like Yelp reviewers on that South Park episode.

I also like when a business responds to negative reviews with more than just a canned response or threats and accusations.

Or for clothes, I’ll often read the bad reviews to find out about fit/quality. I find they can be pretty telling, depending on the website.

I’d be curious, how many people actually leave google reviews here? I assume it’s not many. I almost never do other reviews for websites either, unless it’s a small business that easily lets me post an anonymous review as a verified buyer.

[Fuzz]

I don't leave Google reviews because of the real name issue, but I rarely review anything except Air B&B/Booking.com, because I really rely on proper hotel reviews.

[Wormius]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

I don't leave Google reviews because of the real name issue, but I rarely review anything except Air B&B/Booking.com, because I really rely on proper hotel reviews.

.. but the other thing there is, AirB&B can rate you too.