A survey done by the public relations firm Burson-Marsteller has found that consumers are increasingly distrustful of product reviews they find online.
"There's now a skepticism of what is happening online and an expectation [that] if you're in a community site and a commercial entity [is] being discussed, there's someone paid to be weighing in," Ame Wadler, chief strategic officer at Burson-Marsteller, told Brandweek.
The perception that companies are seeking to influence online conversations has increased in recent years. In 2001, 20 percent of those surveyed said fake reviews were a problem. In this year's study, that number jumped to 30 percent.
Marketers' gaffes have certainly led some to conclude that reviews and comments made in community forums need to taken with a grain of salt.
As Brandweek reported, Wal-Mart was criticized for paying for a fake blog while Microsoft took heat for supplying some bloggers with free laptops.
"There's no rocket science here: transparency matters," Ms. Wadler said. "Those entities that are the most transparent and say, 'It's us and we're proud of what we're saying,' do far better than those organizations that don't reveal themselves."
Discussion Questions: How widespread do you believe the skepticism over reviews on websites and posts about companies and products in online forums has become? Do you have any recommendations for e-tailers?