Let's talk about fake reviews on Amazon...

[@ashwanibhola3766]

Bought a screen protector on Amazon, it was fine, did the job. Shortly after, the seller sent me a letter offering to refund my money if I left a 5 star review, and explicitly told me NOT to share this letter with Amazon. I spoke to Amazon support and they didn't really care or think that anything was wrong. Fake reviews are clearly not a priority for them.

[@Crazywaffle5150]

I would I taken the refund. lol

[@ashwanibhola3766]

@@Crazywaffle5150 I could have as well, and I think most people would. Sellers can offer this because they know Amazon doesn't care.

[@munkustrap2]

If I bought something; was happy with the purchase & then the company offered me my money back to leave a 5-star review for it I'd probably be ok with doing that....BUT, if the item was a pos, that'd be something I wouldn't think of doing.

[@SunbeanCat]

@Ashwani Bhola Customer service doesn't represent the whole Amazon. Amazon has been tracking information and freezing accounts for doing that. At this point, Amazon checks all the products that get 5 stars reviews. A lot of products look suspicious, just not enough evidence to ban the account. There is so much product to get through.

[@ashwanibhola3766]

@@SunbeanCat It's possible that Amazon is handling this internally, but for the vast majority of people Amazon's CS reps are the only contact we will get to have with the company. If an attempt to report review fraud to them is met with complete disinterest, then it will undoubtedly influence the public's perception of the company as a whole. You are right that tackling this is a huge undertaking, but why then would they refuse help by turning away hard evidence that is being presented to them?

[@ksavage681]

Always click the Prime checkbox, this weeds out many third party sellers, and if its shipping from Amazon, they will give you a refund no questions asked if it turns out bad. I've been doing this for 20 years.

[@KCCAT5]

Yeah I used to do that but lately it just seems like I'm getting crap in the prime delivery anyway

[@elizabethwitt2621]

I totally agree with this comment. And even if the item turns out to be crap, I just send it right back to them without any issues of having to deal with third party sellers.

[@garik1018]

The problem with that is if you do too many returns, Amazon will close your account. It's like they work together 😂

[@jonathankulesa]

The funniest ones are the “mini” items; Say you order a shovel, well at least you think you’ve ordered a shovel, and then the seller sends you a G.I. Joe shovel… 😂

[@ShirlBussman]

🤣🤣🎄🎄🎅🎅🤶🤶Happy Holidays! I hope that doesn't happen to me.

[@billh.1940]

I have had that with a book, they sent me a pamphlet not the book. Sent it back.

[@MaynardsSpaceship]

I read the listing thoroughly. Look for measurements, photos, etc.

[@cberge8]

As a previous amazon seller I can also add that the bait and switch is not always the seller's doing. Amazon will merge listings that their automated system deems are "duplicates." Their duplicate identification algorithm is horrible. I've had hundreds of listings merged with items not even in the same category.

[@TheFrenchPug]

Yes! It's all over the place. Good callout.

[@jmahoney9561]

Good for me is that I never had a bait and switch item like Mr. White first example nor any of his examples. However, once when I ordered a juicer and the seller promised one of three gifts when writing a review. The seller didn’t try to encourage me one way or another but the monetary Amazon gift card was one of the three gifts which wasn’t there after writing my review.the other two items were a food scale and those storage bags, like Debbie Meyers which I had both so I opted for the Amazon gift card. Another thing they mentioned was you didn’t have to put up a credit card either and that was a lie too. Bottom line, I didn’t get anything from them and my review wasn’t the best rated either. I write reviews on mostly every website I order from and I prefer to wait awhile also because writing them too soon while the products are brand new I feel they work at peek performance and and a little wear and tear gives a more realistic review. My review handle is TayJay22 pretty much everywhere.

[@mystra13]

Definitely a major issue. I can't even begin to count the times I've been hit with pricing violations just to have to screen shot the fact that we're selling stuff at the right price but the "main" seller isn't. Annoying as a seller and buyer.

[@katiehenry7]

That's wild!

[@lkayh]

Right? I was looking for a phone charger the other day and on one when I looked at reviews they were talking about a toy.

[@kimberdawn4424]

We always take a screenshot of the item we order. That way, if they send the wrong item, we've got proof. We had a "Bait and Switch" situation with water filters. We ordered a name brand for our filtration system. When we received them, they were a knock-off brand and the box they came in was flimsy and tattered. The Seller tried to argue. But, the pictures told the story.

[@Suiseisexy]

Same, it's not practical to actually sue or anything but if it came down to it a judge/jury would love the unknowledgeable consumer who nonetheless behaved in a diligent way. If you were on Judge Judy the other guy would get eye-laser'd.

[@kimberdawn4424]

@@Suiseisexy That's hilarious! 😂 I visualized that look!🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@barcham]

If you are purchasing an expensive electronic item, always make an unboxing video when you get it. I was just reading a news article about a young man here in Canada who purchased an almost $700 video card and when he got it, it was an empty shell filled with some kind of putty, and he had trouble getting a refund. It worked out in the end, but it took him months before it was. An unboxing video provides indisputable proof of what you received.

[@ShirlBussman]

Great idea I'm not used to taking photos of anything. I will now. Thanks so much for the tip. I have left replies that I knew they wouldn't put up. Recently I ordered some Muk Luk slippers and I got two left ones. I didn't return them bc I loved them and they don't bother me. If that was a actual shoe well, that wouldn't work out for me. I have the slippers on right now and they're comfortable. Happy Holidays to you and yours. 🎄🎄🎅🎅🤶🤶

[@dean43669]

@@barcham yes very useful and could potentially comes in handy. When I buy anything electronic that are expensive online, I take pictures of the box or packages at all angles before opening it. So if it's damage or tampered in anyway I have proof and the seller can't say it's my fault. Then I'll take a video as I'm opening it so if need be I have proof. Sure it may be a hassle but hey at least you got that peace of mind in case anything went wrong with your order. Happy safe shopping and happy holidays everyone! 😊

[@Kathy61954]

I can't thank you enough for this video,James. I've had a Chinese company offer me $40 to take down my bad review. It's rampant . Thanks for all your hard work !

[@margeryk000]

I had a vendor try to "bribe" me for a five star review and when I tried to write a review that "outed" them Amazon would not post that review.

[@LowKeyTroll]

Same! They want "product reviews, not experience reviews" I recall as their reason.

[@MichellePondueCruz]

It has to be written as a review of the seller, not the item.

[@cindygonnella2179]

Read the reviews CAREFULLY. Several times recently I've gone to the reviews for an item only to find that none of the reviews are for the listed product, but for something TOTALLY different!

[@bs-vo1ii]

Etsy does it too

[@bradasstv]

This is great information. I have dealt with all of these things. You know this year I have noticed this Amazon stuff spreading to other sites. Even Walmart has started looking like the Amazon reviews. You never know who or what is legit. I hate too when it says "this review is part of a promotion" because you know people are more likely to give something a good review if they are getting a deal or an incentive to leave that review. It would be so nice if you could just go on and see real reviews from real people about the real product. Is that too much to ask? 🤔😁 Thanks James, always appreciate your videos!

[@ksavage681]

As far as Walmart, they are better than Amazon. If the item is in a store close to you, they will send somebody to deliver it. Also when searching, check the "sold by Walmart" box, this weeds out any third party sellers. I got on chat once with Walmart rep when they lost a tire I ordered, they sent another straight away with no arguments.

[@Oceangirl_505]

@@ksavage681 - Thanks Keith, your Comment is quite helpful. 👍

[@BewareTheLilyOfTheValley]

I wish Walmart genuinely allowed for adding photos to reviews. They let you upload them but I've never been able to see mine or anyone else's photos, which makes it hard to get a realistic idea of what something looks like.

[@judywright4241]

How timely this video is! I’m in the midst of a ‘Bait and Switch’. The candelabra, Lumiere (from Beauty and the Beast) was advertised for $45. It took almost a month to get it. It wasn’t what he had pictured, didn’t light up. I went to return it, got an return label with ‘Buyer Pays Shipping’. It was to CHINA! It was going to be $300 to send it back😳I hate getting screwed over!

[@RashmiSaid]

You can dispute this transaction with Amazon because the item was not as described. Amazon is very good about this, at least you will get your money back and they will not make you pay for shipping.

[@MyDreamIsAStory]

I would also be careful and look for items that are shipped by Amazon. I have noticed when they are shipped by individual companies, you may not always get the item listed. Some companies will be based in China and have an a US address.

[@TXFRWYGYPSY]

It’s full of nasty roaches. Like every small business turned major corporate, it’s turning into trash. I get tons of broke and used items sent to me. It’s gotten extremely hard to find things on there now as well. Thank you for covering this!

[@stevekiss616]

Thanks for the video. I've run into many of the same fake review issues as well. I started checking the newest reviews first a few years ago. Since then, I've had very few problems. I've also found the same reviews from the same people on different brand names of the same item. A good clue is if you are finding multiple people with the same complaint on certain item. It is probably legitimate.

[@NormanDurkee]

What always frustrates me is when Amazon "fakes a sale". They show a product on sale but the product never actually was the "original price" they show.

[@perochialjoe]

I can usually navigate around the weird tricks Amazon venders use but the one thing that has made me start using other stores is the sheer amount of returned items I've been getting sent from there. Of my last 5 orders probably 3 of them came with already opened / shredded boxes and dinged up items. The worst part is that there is literally nothing you can do to prevent that other than buy from a different store. Shipping is more expensive now but at least I'm finding online stores that don't sell me returns / previously owned items. Especially with electronics.

[@-Dwight-Schrute]

Thank you James for looking out for us!

[@LittleguyBigReviews]

I think we all needed this James not only as a Reviewer but as consumer we all need to look at for these things. Just like the advice you gave me and on here I jump down the rabbit hole of Amazon comments before purchasing the product. Thanks for this you sir are Top Notch 🤙

[@LeAnimal65]

What i like to do when I want the most honest feedback on an item I want is I ignore the overall rating and head straight to the 1 and 2 star reviews. I note the number of them, then read a bunch of them and look for patterns, like customer service and quality. Only then will I check out the higher raten reviews, where I also look for trends. It takes more effort but has worked pretty well for me and definitely better than relying on the overall score.

[@TheFrenchPug]

That's great advice and a good system. You want to find out what is shady first.

[@mr.c6674]

I have been doing the same for years. Read the negative patterns. Look for reviews that directly mention the product.

[@Dorff_Meister]

Yeah, I like to look at samples across the spectrum. 1 and 2 star reviews can indicate a terrible product or people who didn't understand what they were buying. 3 and 4 star, for a decent good product, will be where the valuable reviews can be - people who considered the product, hopefully understood how it functioned, but see how it could be better. The 5 star can be helpful, but take them with a grain of salt.

[@nonyabizness.original]

yup, i do the same. bad reviews with the same issue over and over again, written in different voices, are a dead giveaway.

[@clrobinson1776]

We check 2 & 4 star reviews. They seem to be the most honest.

[@sendachimptospace]

This video caused me to question how long I've been watching and subscribing. I knew I'd been watching for a long time but 9 years. Lol, every video too. It's nice to see the ingenuity in a channel still going strong.

[@ShirlBussman]

I have learned over the years not to trust Amazon and their products. I'm so happy that you touched on this. One of your best videos that I have watched. Thanks, James. Happy Holidays to you and yours. 🎄🎄🎅🎅🎄🎄❤❤⭐⭐

[@davidgerow]

Before I make a purchase on Amazon or anywhere else, I always go to KZbin and watch a independent review.

[@bogbel1]

I do the same thing. ...and quite often it results with me changing my mind. Good tip.

[@JustcallmeJayrot]

This reality is all the more reason your videos are awesome (and necessary). Unbiased, real life reviews by real people. Project Farm is an awesome channel for more head to head stuff.

[@Babs-Veterans-are-Family]

I've seen Amazon listings with completely different products stencils and cutting dies. They are totally different craft items but they're on the same listing.

[@dianesellgren6215]

Thank you, I've been watching you for sometime now. I first found you when I was looking for a review of the Ninja XL air fryer, I have trusted your reviews and have bought some of the things you have liked. I look forward to checking out your store. Thank you again for the information today.

[@NC-oy8hq]

I recently had my first Amazon return. The old bait and switch. Seller said they had accidentally packaged the lower grade model in the high grade box. I asked for the correct product. They came back with a free charger. I then returned the product and gave them a bad review. They offered to send me the correct product ($180) if I would delete my bad review. Nope. Sad as the lower grade was bad A , I bet I would have loved the real thing.

[@marylhere]

I say the same thing for some of the clothes I’ve bought from Amazon….I would actually pay for the item that’s pictured. I don’t even bother with clothes from Amazon anymore. I did buy some socks that were nice…they, of course, are no longer available.

[@skaterlover1999]

First, per the Consumer Review Fairness Act, you are entitled to keep your honest review. Second, you are entitled to a refund OR replacement. Third, you are NOT required by law to return the defective or not ordered item. In your case, you technically didn't order the product they provided.

[@nnbnbnn]

TY so much for this video. my mom is starting to get dementia and i looked through her amazon history and she ordered a 20$ bag of treats for her dog....shiping was 100$. broke my heart, she uses amazon so much because she cannot drive. i also hate the monopolized aspect of amazon, so ty for telling people to buy direct from the source when possible! have a good holidays and enjoy it with your kids.

[@cyberi4a]

The only issue I ever had was ordering a replacement for something I had already had for years and it broke. The photo and description were exactly the same for the item I was replacing, but what came in the mail wasn't what I was buying. What arrived I wouldn't even buy at Dollar Tree for a buck. Amazon did refund my money and give free shipping when I complained to them, but the original listing never changed.

[@Dorff_Meister]

Not to mention, vendors can get productor reviewers (Amazon Customers) barred from leaving REAL reviews on Amazon. I lost my ability to review a couple years ago. I was never told why or given a chance to explain or revise my review or even told which review got me "barred for life". I never left anything but honest, useful reviews. I was never inconsiderate or derogatory. I've read the review policies and do not believe I broke any of them, but I can no longer review and all my years of reviews were deleted. I've contacted them about this multiple times, but this area of support is a black hole. Amazon has no interest in fixing the problem but would rather silence those who use fairly their system to contribute to the solution.

[@TropicalGardenGuy]

Happens to me so often, if cut back on my amazon purchases by 90 percent

[@FflawedMetalhead]

#2 is the one I come across the most. I can't even count the times I found the item I was looking for, good ratings, then I go to the page to find there's a totally different item for sale, and the one I was looking for is out of stock.

[@the_once-and-future_king.]

And 'This item is out of stock and we don't know if it ever will be back' Here's an idea: if it is out of stock REMOVE IT FROM ALL SEARCHES. Stop wasting our valuable time.

[@bram5825]

Why not step away from Amazon as much as possible? I watch your reviews for the product, your style, methods and presentation. Having a product not sold from Amazon won't ever stop me watching, liking and sharing.

[@KP-ty9yl]

Amazon still beats everyone else for the hard-to-find items in shipping time and price

[@barcham]

Personally, unless my purchase is backed up by a large company, such as Amazon, and that company is the one that ships it to me, I have no interest. I will not spend my money on anything coming directly from China or any other company outside Canada. Unless I know the company and have absolute faith in it. I do purchase from Japan on occasion, as I have a number of reputable, trustworthy companies there that I have complete trust in, such as Bento&Co, but they are for very specific needs.

[@charisma-hornum-fries]

I would take that as a quality move. With the scary treatment of workers that customers support by buying from them, it would be nice to see reviewers buy from elsewhere until Amazon does better.

[@barcham]

@@charisma-hornum-fries Well, when someone else can offer the same products, match their prices and their service, I will deal with them. Until then, I will continue to purchase from Amazon.

[@groovydonkey]

I have experienced what you have said with Amazon here in the UK. If I see an item I don't really believe the reviews, but do a search for the item and see if any reviews for it on other sites including KZbin. Being an amazon Prime customer I do have the option of returning it free of charge, so I don't really lose out, just the slight inconvenience of sending it back for a refund.

[@rmmmmt2796]

I haven't used Amazon in awhile. I've had so many issues with them giving my package to the postal service and then my package saying it was delivered to the individual and I'm like weird I've been home all day and I was handed nothing. Then I have to report both to Amazon and to usps which is just a joke because you have to wait up to 72 hrs and then if they don't response you have to reach out again and then after 72 hrs you can request the item to be either reshipped or refunded which is ridiculous to me

[@SpykersB]

Canada post in Calgary doesn’t like to deliver they lie constantly, i get emails saying delivery attempt you weren’t home, when oh yes i was! So if an amazon order is coming via canada post, I won’t order. 🍻

[@munkustrap2]

It's pretty much been a standard for a loooooong time to have shipping companies send packages to the post office & then the post office delivers them to you. Luckily when this happens to me they show up as delivered to Hingham, MA & not my town's post office....that way I know what's going on. It's an infuriating practice though.

[@Smmmile]

A weird one is when it says there are reviews under a particular number of stars, but when you check, it says there are none.

[@jimjackson5544]

And now I know why I never rely on (or even read really) user reviews on Amazon.

[@timlaunyc]

There are always a few things I do when I look at reviews. I click on See All Reviews. This let's me select the specific product I want to view, when the page has listings for different models, by clicking on All Formats, and choosing the item I am looking for. Then I view by date to see where the good and bad reviews are.

[@celestegross6622]

Thanks for sharing this. I love insights like this from KZbinrs.

[@marcusjames6425]

Any company that is publicly traded is loyal to the shareholders not customers. One day people will make this connection...

[@justinduren95]

Sad how Amazon clearly doesn't want to fix the problem. At the end of the day, it's all about the money for them, and not the customers.

[@ksavage681]

Customers want cheap crap. This will continue. Its all about the money to the customer too.

[@1erinjames]

Amazon took the low fruit and got rid of quality or customer service.

[@rushrule1]

Just like all the fake posts on YT, they don’t care about anything but the cash!!

[@KCCAT5]

Amazon clearly sucks for a lot of things lately. You notice there's no more two day delivery. When I signed up for Amazon I was guaranteed free two day delivery not anymore. Now it takes up to 2 weeks. I can't get anything on Amazon video or music without paying for it that used to be included in the prime package not anymore.

[@1erinjames]

@@KCCAT5 they're already enacting the social/carbon credit score penalties before Americans are told the new system is here.

[@buddhamus]

Thank you for this video. I take Amazon reviews for a product with a grain of salt. I look at the overall percentage and then read the (negative) reviews that are 1 to 3 percent. I try to weed out the reviews that are a little vague, frivolous, or lacking any useful information or details and focus on the negative reviews that actually relate to the use of the product. I do something similar with the positive reviews, but they always seem to say the same thing. It's more or less trying to tell if they actually use the product and not just stating some given facts or repeating a script. After weighing the reviews, my final decision is usually based on my assessment of the ratio between the positive and negative reviews. If the total negative reviews are only around 7% then I'll most likely get the item. When I leave a review of a product, I always try to be honest and give as much detail as possible. I really enjoy your videos and appreciate all that you do. Thanks again.

[@Sheena5212]

Thanks for the educational video! I usually sort the review by verified purchases and newest. I'm sharing this video with my son as he has discovered amazon and has already been ripped off twice.

[@yetinother]

Always read the 3 star reviews, they usually tell you about the pros and cons of the actual products

[@FatBatCat]

I just don't buy off Amazon anymore. Easy for me to say though, since I stopped years ago. Just go to the stores again.

[@UpperRobin29]

I mean usually its easy to spot. If a listing has pixelated pictures, a 5 star rating, only 5 reviews and they say something like "Bought this for my husband, he loves it" then that's a giant red flag

[@nickmcnugget16]

I was trying to find a thermapen on amazon as a present for my sister, and amazon kept giving me suspicious listings claiming to be the same brand as the thermapen for much cheaper. Seems like the actual product isn't on there anymore and I had to order through their website.

[@dvil9]

I tend to buy from Amazon or the actual company that produces the item I want. I never had any issues, except once Amazon sent me the wrong printer, but it was easy to exchange it for the right one. Thank for this video nonetheless, charring knowledge makes us better consumers!

[@juhnetmickerdy]

I’ve known for years about the bait and switch 😑 I always read comments. Yes, I’ve gotten cards in the mail and I always ignore them! My integrity is NOT for sale! I only give 5 stars if the product earns it. Great video!

[@oldguy3378]

I ran into a scam on Amazon too. Somehow, the ratings were 4.7 of 5 for a '16 TB SSD' - and the reviews were for a different product. If it is too good to be true - yes, it is. A 1TB SSD runs $50 to $75

[@shelleylemmond46]

Thank you for all your hard work James and I've been through some of the fake stuff myself. I've ordered stuff I had to send back it wasn't as pictured or was broke . I did get a return label and on a few occasions I was told no need to return product and I did get my return back within a week but their not all like that. Thank you again

[@jjbud3124]

I had a review rejected by Amazon for not following their rules. I reviewed a book listed as non-fiction by explaining it was fake information (which it was). They didn't like that and rejected the review. I didn't use bad language or insult anyone. What does that tell you? They CAN police reviews.

[@chantallaflamme6454]

I've had two of the negative reviews I've left on Amazon being muted by I'm- not- sure- who for "sensitive information".

[@friggintourist7751]

I always look at the three star reviews. I find those tend to be the most accurate for the product and from actual people who bought the item(s). Its not always the case but usually

[@2lmdi]

Nope... used to be but now the phoney bad reviewers are doing the 3 and 4 star reviews saying a bunch of positive stuff and adding one bad thing along with it to scare you away. Like blah, blah.. fit was wonderful... blah, blah.... I just wish it hadn't shrunk so much with the first washing. Or the sheets feel so satiny and comfy I just wish they hadn't pilled so much around my feet. If you read a few on the same item in the 3 or 4 star, you'll see the pattern. I, personally, can tell a fake because they're young and don't talk the same as older people nor know enough about actually using the product like the older people.

[@scanmead]

I'm ordering less and less from Amazon, because Walmart shipping is faster, they actually believe you when you say you didn't get part of your order, and the prices are pretty much the same. Amazon cost me way over $100 this year in stuff I never got. They blame it on the trucking company or me, and it's basically "tough luck".

[@markbajek2541]

In contrast I've had some issues with Walmart shippers, (typically fed ex) as opposed to USPS or UPS for Amazon. The stuff just shows up like it went through a war zone , barely holding the external packaging together with a single strand of fiber tape or tossed in a puddle someplace on my property. I don't tend to have those issues the place with the place with the penis logo on the packaging.

[@munkustrap2]

Let's face it...every shipping company has it's issues.

[@TheFrenchPug]

You have to look for specific information in the review. The fake reviews usually speak in general terms. Good ones will have specific references and there aren't as many of those.

[@johnfenderson8815]

I solved my Amazon woes by no longer using Amazon at all.

[@retluoc]

Your third one is my favorite because I run into it all the time. I just take one look at the review and it looks like it was either written by a professional ghost writer or someone who can't speak English 😆. Either way, I find them hilarious. Once I wrote a Yelp review (honestly) and before I hit send, it was changed to a semi positive pre-written response that sounded like it was from a newspaper 😄.

[@purplecat4977]

I'd like to add that one way to find "real" reviews when skimming through reviews is to look for people labeled 'Vine Voice'. People who are part of the Amazon Vine program are reviewers curated by Amazon, and people take it pretty seriously, or did back when I was active. Vine Voices are sent the products free of charge, and are expected to leave honest, detailed reviews. I have absolutely trashed bad products, and I've never seen any pressure from Amazon to take a review down, nor have I ever had a vendor offer me anything for a good review. Trying to bribe Vine Voices can get vendors in a lot of trouble, as we have access to people at Amazon whose entire job it is just to deal with reporting that kind of thing, so I guess with so many other avenues to bribe people, they mostly don't risk it.

[@daniel5927]

Unfortunately that is no longer the case. Amazon has been inviting a ton of people that have never even written product reviews before to be a part of the Vine program. I've seen numerous Vine reviews that aren't even a full sentence, or they literally just copy and paste somebody else's review.

[@practicalguy973]

@@daniel5927 Even average honest people write bad reviews. Most people are experts on very little and they write 5 star reviews based on little product experience. The whole review process is a mess. Also some paid youtubers cant be trusted. Usually they have rules from the company they are working with when posting videos under contract.

[@trublgrl]

Thanks for looking out, James. This channel has gone from a bunch of reviews to almost a consumer advocacy channel. I know I have avoided ripoff products based on your vids, so your advice is very valuable to me and many others, I'm sure.

[@lucyalderman422]

I’ve gone to Amazon from the review you gave and really appreciate this posting

[@sendachimptospace]

Perfect thumbnail, I was like "special episode, gotta watch right now"

[@BewareTheLilyOfTheValley]

For other reasons, I barely shop on Amazon anymore. Only if I can't find it anywhere else or need it really quickly, like certain car parts, will I shop with them. I've also been burned by glowing reviews for some earbuds that just turned out to be garbage.

[@michaelsmiley15]

I think the easiest thing to do when it comes to Amazon it's make sure you're ordering something that has prime shipping available to it never order something has a 3rd party shipping attached to it because those are the ones you're more likely to get scammed at

[@bimiup1]

Thanks for this video. I’ve always wondered why the reviews sometimes didn’t match the products!

[@paulwilson6968]

Thanks for putting out another great video. Before I came across your videos I was a "as seen on TV" sucker. I don't know how many pieces of crap things I have bought in the past from the infomercials only to be disappointed in the end. Keep up the great work on saving people money from junk items but also showing the good items out there.

[@kimberlycorbin5968]

I've never had a problem returning something to Amazon. So that's a plus.

[@brendakrieger7000]

Thank you very much! This is probably the most important thing you could discuss on your channel. I k know a few tricks they use.

[@Joanna_L]

Great information as always. I always head to the newest reviews of an item first because I expect to receive the latest manufactured version of it. With the recent supply chain issues sometimes resulting in diminished quality, I can usually spot customer dissatisfaction. Then I look at the rest of the reviews. Always use Prime for the return policy. Thanks again, James 😊

[@hunterhenryk]

What you have to do on Amazon is click on "See All Reviews" and then, from the pulldowns at the top of the review listings, change the one that says "All formats" to "Show only reviews for" the specific item you are considering. That takes care of #1 and #2. Review stuffing (#3) is something that has been unavoidable so far though. Was listening to, I think, NPR? a couple weeks ago, and they had a story about a Yelp reviewer who sold her reviews on a reviewer marketplace and was hired by a skin care clinic to do a fake review for them. People wound up being harmed by the clinic. When they brought it up to the reviewer, she said she was sorry but really didn't seem too bothered by it. She said all her peers (college aged) were doing it. All for $75. The only nice ending to the story was that Yelp eventually deleted her account.

[@margeebechyne8642]

I really appreciate the heads up! I've wondered sometimes when I received and then couldn't understand why it had a high rating! Thank you and Merry Christmas!

[@some1somewhere13]

I just saw a bait n switch yesterday. Bought an item for about 50 cents cheaper than other listings, go to check out and it was, no joke, $150 shipping. For a $4 item! Luckily I checked the total price

[@great-grandmakirk8828]

I never check the reviews on Amazon,most times I don’t check reviews unless they are on a store that carries products I use mostly mortar stores. To be truthful, your reviews are the only ones I watch on your channel.👍🏻😍

[@Quagigitymire]

thx my man. been watching your reviews for years and appreciate this video in a big way

[@witness1013]

Great insights! Thanks as usual, informative and fun!

[@jeanne-marie8196]

Thanks for the info on the bait and switch. I wondered why so many reviews are for the wrong products. I always look for obvious grammatical mistakes consistently throughout reviews, especially when they are taken almost word for word from the description. Consistent misuse of tenses and things the average person doesn't generally say about a product.

[@grifftrain]

That fact it bothers you that others have had bad experience at Amazon shows you are a good person that cares about your viewers

[@ddgiant]

The bate and switch should be easy for Amazon to fix. Put a maximum amount an item can be edited, say 10% of the total item, and that should take care of a high majority of them. Also having an easy way to report questionable items would also be helpful. One example is i found a watch being talked about in a Facebook group that was marked way way below retail and looking at the item there were several tail tail items that it was a fake/scam item, like the item image changing to a music cd when you buy it. It took me over sn hours to finally get ahold of someone in customer support that claimed they could address the issue. But it still took them a few days to finally pull the item.

[@ksavage681]

Also, they took away comment replies to reviews. You notice that?

[@KittyMama61]

I've had buying from Amazon work in my favor sometimes, such as when I bought a small package of onion flakes and got 2 pounds 🤣

[@johnarosser6400]

great video! I guess I didn't remember that you have your own store. I bookmarked it so that I can check it out next time I need something. I am getting an air fryer for Christmas and I was looking at replacement parts or accessories to see what I may want to add to it, and I found that one product was over $10 more expensive on Amazon as compared to the Ninja website. So it really does pay to check the company's site.

[@DJDRFUNKJUICE]

That's why I go to your channel and other people's channel watch before you buy it really help me make to be very mindful on what to buy amazon or ebay as well. Keep it up James stay blessed happy holiday's.

[@saddestchord7622]

I try to be careful and can usually sniff out most of these, but I have gotten used items before. And one time i bought a guitar strap that was counterfeit. That one kind of surprised me because it was just a cheap Ernie Ball strap. Why bother counterfeiting that? But they did.

[@FirstLast-iv2tc]

My coworker invented a product. Manufactures it locally and ships it from her home. It's patent pending and a legit thing. She sells it on Amazon under it's trademarked name. But since she won't pay Amazon a listing fee, the product is buried like 15 pages in. Even if you type in the name brand of the product they bury it. So people looking for it will think it's not on Amazon. I guess that's business, but I think it's shady.

[@margaretriley9146]

Just wanted to wish you "Happy Holidays"..!! I really enjoy watching your show here on KZbin..!!

[@ellisgl]

One of the weird things I see, are the listenings (I see this a lot for microphones) that have a product that can be had for $20 or $50 any day of the week (and probably counterfeit), but will marked up at least 3x, but typically around 10x. Most of the companies/brands with have some sort of alphabet soup name (ex. KXDFDC / dyhjp) and the listings might have some jumble of parts from different items.

[@bluemermaid8139]

I just bought a steering wheel cover that was described as leather and it is not leather. A lot of the reviews didn't mention this but some of them did after I double checked more reviews after I received the item. It's going back.

[@Gold63Beast]

I’ve also noticed listings with ILLEGAL products! Such as long knives, gun parts, state specific banned items (CA, NY banned items), even a AR Silencer being sold as a automotive oil filter. Definitely gotten some really really nice knives this way, but the listings don’t last long and they are kinda hard to find. You just happen to find the “black market” listings while looking for something else.

[@Voteblue-gq5eh]

Many times I’ve read reviews that were supposed to be for one product but were actually for another. Oh and my sister just ordered some crab legs through Amazon for Christmas dinner. Not sure how I feel about that. She said that the reviews were good. We shall see.

[@22seanmurphy]

Hi, everything that you have said I've experience loads in the past but I'm getting much better to look for these, a great review.

[@KimberlyLetsGo]

I bought a well-known skincare product off Amazon and I am absolutely sure it was bogus. Even though the company looked like it was the 'real' one that had set up a 'store' on Amazon, I don't think it was real. I bought a product that I have purchased many times either from Ulta or directly from the company's website. So, when I got this watery product, I knew I'd never buy it from Amazon again. Even though the box looked legit and it didn't appear to have been previously opened, it wasn't the same thing.

[@linda7345n]

Thanks for giving me an 'AHA!' moment --points you covered in 1 & 2. Thank you very much.

[@SpykersB]

The one thing that I’m super annoyed with is the number of fake/knock off products that are allowed to be sold, So shop carefully. Like advertising a product as a legit manufactured item, when it turns out to be a cheap knock off! Reviews will tell you that too, unmarked box, item not fit what it was intended to fit, item break easily and or never worked out of the box etc. Remember that border patrol tv program how they would get shipments of knock off products entering usa, n they would seize the shipment, yeah well lots get through and are on amazon. 🍻

[@brendanlawton7518]

Great thought. I have become a little jaded by Amazon. Most every time I've made a purchase. The next day they send a link for a review. How can we possibly make a valid review in one day. Have also had multiple products with greatest reviews {Headphones} especially that simply fall apart in a couple of months. Then return to the reviews to find out that most everyone who left a review has changed it to let people know the product has the worst of quality control.

[@heatherangel9700]

I've said it before and I'll say it again - far and away the most reliable reviewer on KZbin! James actually cares about his audience.

[@Orah]

I briefly worked for an Amazon vendor in 2009 and they were doing all this stuff back then - fake reviews, bribing people to give 5-star reviews even when the product and/or the vendor's service stunk. I buy the occasional item on Amazon, but overall, I avoid them whenever possible. Fast shipping doesn't mean anything if you constantly have to worry about getting scammed.

[@curtwinterstein1067]

Oh Darn! Here I thought I was being smart for looking at poor reviews first! I am thankful your here doing these reviews! I didn't know you had a store though... (Talk yourself up a little more!) Sometimes I feel like Opus from Bloom County wanting to buy the 'Ronco Turnip Twaddler' (MUST BUY!!! MUST BUY!!!). There are times I think you deserve a meddle for testing and surviving some of the products you get! (Oh look; James is testing a new product! ... I don't think the Mushroom cloud is going to be an indicator of a good item though...) *Thanks for all you do!*

[@jamesturner44]

I learned to check the reviews of the seller. No reviews is just as bad as terrible reviews.

[@foulchild]

I think what's worse than fake reviews and payment to remove reviews, is the "angry reviewer" because I find that 7/10 times these reviewers are either 100% not following the instructions on the product, using the product for something it is not specified to be used for, or comparing the product to another product they use that costs 5-times the amount. People get upset and post those reviews and all they do is create a situation where it's difficult for anyone else who actually needs the product for the specified purposes to actually decide which one to buy. I think a service we are in dire-need of is a consumer-reports service that is a standalone entity who actually keeps track of all these fake subsidiaries of subsidiaries that Chinese companies create in order to sell the same product via 20 different vendors. It'd be nice if they could test the products as they are made available to consumers in North America, and make sure the products actually meet specific requirements. It'd be great if the government could do it, but obviously private enterprise is the way to go with something like this.

[@TopDog8762]

The bait and switch is a huge problem on amazon. Amazon does Not want honest reviews. I wont go into my story again unless someone wants to hear it but Honest reviews are not welcome on Amazon.

[@JohnnyK60]

I can never understand products that have overwhelmingly favorable reviews, but the few negative ones are scathing.

[@Mulberrysmile]

I had a bad product arrive, and when I left a bad review the seller contacted my email, offered me a gift certificate or something to change the review. I said, “No.”

[@rikspector]

I’ve been on Amazon since the late nineties. Your points are well said, but Caveat emptor, let the buyer beware. I almost always buy. from sellers on Amazon that are large legitimate companies. I will go to company websites, or E Bay and , like you , thoroughly read the comments. I was bait and switched only one time and that was fixed. Your reviews are down to earth and worth following but you can’t review everything that people want. So Amazon has flaws and doesn’t monitor perfectly, but it still has a generous return policy, too generous since it has had to create a pallet return bargain system and propel are abusing their system by returning garbage items and keeping the good stuff, ‘but that’s a whole different subject. Merry Christmas to you and your family! Rik Spector