Amazon seller wants to pay me to remove review.

[Fraidycat]

I bought a cheap electronic product for £23 in January this year. It lasted about a month, it didn't completely break, just a bit broke off, but it was still usable.

I rarely if ever leave reviews, but i guess lockdown meant i had more time on my hands..

So i left a 2 star review on amazon. There are over 500 positive five star reviews on the product, and maybe 20 that are two stars or less.

Seller has contacted me after five months offering me £30 if i remove the review, the product now costs £36 on amazon.

What would you do?

Seems a bit unethical to accept the money.

[AtW]

You actually bought something from MarillionFan's shop?

[cojak]

Did you buy that product on the strength of reviews?

If so it’s highly likely that the seller has form for doing this.

If you don’t use the reviews and you don’t care, go right ahead.

But I wouldn’t use that seller again.

[Fraidycat]

I do rely on customers reviews when buying stuff so taking the money will be a corruption of that process.

However the product had it not broken, would be around its current 4.5 star product rating for me as well (for just £23 it was a steal).

I think i am still going to get £23 of value out of it even in its semi broken state.

So i am tempted to take the voucher and buy £30 of booze from amazon.

[ladymuck]

I think if the seller is willing to pay you more than you paid for the item to remove an unfavourable review then they know they're selling a dodgy product and the positive reviews are likely to be paid for.

Not only would I refuse to remove the review, I would also update it to tell prospective buyers that the seller has tried to bribe you into removing it and I would report them to Amazon.

[AtW]

I think if the seller is willing to pay you more than you paid for the item to remove an unfavourable review then they know they're selling a dodgy product and the positive reviews are likely to be paid for.

Or the product is entirely fine (as lots of positive reviews indicate) for the price range it's sold at, but the buyer assumed that his own bad luck somehow means all other items also bad.

I bought a cheap electronic product for £23 in January this year. It lasted about a month, it didn't completely break, just a bit broke off, but it was still usable.

It was probably made in China for wholesale price of £2-3.

[GigiBronz]

a lot of reviews on amazon are fake anyway. everyone is playing the game.

take the money and don't think a second about it. ask them to offer £40 in last instance.

similar to how in contracting, in some places, you do not say what you think to the client if it goes against the political dogma or contradict the permis. you might say it subtly to the right people but don't go boosting about it in meetings.

[Fraidycat]

Or the product is entirely fine (as lots of positive reviews indicate) for the price range it's sold at, but the buyer assumed that his own bad luck somehow means all other items also bad.

My review was basically 'My one broke pretty quick but maybe you will have better luck than i did'

[AtW]

My review was basically 'My one broke pretty quick but maybe you will have better luck than i did'

Surely, it did not break if it was still usable, as you said.

In effect it follows that you made false review, so ethical thing is to delete it and offer to pay seller some notional compensation for the losses he suffered as the result of your false review.

[ravenshaw]

My review was basically 'My one broke pretty quick but maybe you will have better luck than i did'

I would ask the seller to send you another one free of charge, and if it is still unbroken after a month, you'll remove your review.