'Bragging or moaning' online reviews slammed by academics

Star ratings are biased towards more expensive experiences and premium brands, while customers with more extreme opinions are more likely to post reviews, a study published recently in the Journal of Consumer Research ​has warned. ​

Dr Philip Fernbach, who worked on the study, told The Morning Advertiser​ (MA​) operators were right to feel there was a high risk of their businesses being misrepresented thanks to inaccurate online reviews.

He said: “I feel for operators – it is a tough business and this potentially adds extra complications, because, as our research suggests, customers tend to overestimate the validity of reviews.”

‘Brag and moan’​

Fernbach added: “Of the people who post a review, they do so with a ‘brag or moan’ bias. That means a customer who either had a great or bad experience will be over-represented in relation to the average customer review.”

Even almost flawless businesses could not satisfy every customer and one person’s experience may get undue attention due to their ability to publicise it, he said.

He added: “The review websites control which reviews and ratings are posted, the order in which they are sorted, etc., this is another way which [operators] lose control.”

Online reviews are a controversial topic for the industry. Many have rallied against the anonymity afforded to reviewers on these sites, which they argue leaves some operators unable to adequately defend their businesses from fraudulent or unfair reviews.

Anonymous food writer TomEats, founder of the No receipt, no review​​ campaign, which pushes for greater transparency in online reviews, told MA​: “The most interesting thing for me is this point about the type of consumer who is likely to post a review.

Axe to grind​

“They’re saying that it’s not representative of the average consumer because the average consumer doesn’t actually post reviews – it’s people who have an axe to grind or are motivated in a certain way.

“One of the reasons I’ve always advocated a receipt approach is because if you’re not anonymous, it makes you think twice about posting a review which is nonsense or exaggerated or simply because you consider yourself to be some expert when you haven’t actually got a clue.”

A spokesperson for online review site TripAdvisor stressed that business owners were given an equal opportunity to have their voices heard on the site.

She said implementing a ‘no receipt, no review’ policy would unfairly penalise genuine customers and reduce the volume of genuine review on the site.

However, TomEats said having verified reviews would be a driver to make the sample of reviews more reflective of the average person.

He added: “Once you’re tied to a meal or a receipt, you become more visible and liable.”

Other vocal advocates of No receipt, no review​ include Peter Borg-Neal of Oakman Inns and prominent food critics Jay Rayner and Marina O’Loughlin.