How to enter Amazon bestseller lists by buying fake reviews.

[Paul Whybrow]

It comes as no real surprise to me that there's another story about firms selling fake reviews for books, and other products, that are on Amazon.

Despite stating that they are using sophisticated artificial intelligence software to detect fake reviews and shut down the accounts of the reviewers, it doesn't take much to circumvent these security measures by the look of it.

When looking at the star rating for any product, it's best to start with the one star reviews and work your way up through the stars, as these reviewers have probably actually bought the goods. Be suspicious of five star reviews that talk in generalised terms, and which are written in impersonal but perfect English with no punctuation or spelling mistakes: these may well have been penned by hired guns.

Here's the link to the story, which is from the Daily Mail, as the original investigation by the Times requires a paid subscription to read in their hallowed (money-grubbing) pages.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ls-hired-3-books-bestseller-lists-Amazon.html

 

[K.J. Simmill]

grumble grumble, don't get me started on Amazon and reviews, they removed my mother in law's review of a book she brought and had sent to her from her amazon account, and removed her and my review simply because she posted it from the same IP address (she doesn't have the internet so comes here and uses her own accounts to buy things.) So it doesn't matter she had a different payment method, name, or address, but because she used my connection to buy a book I had already brought from them and then review it, Amazon said our accounts were linked and thus the reviews were against their t&cs I'm still mad about it to this day, since I try to review every book I enjoy, but companies like this are hard to track down... grrrr. (sorry)

 

[Carol Rose]

The practice does go on, but not all five star reviews on Amazon are fake, and not all rankings on the best seller lists were earned by paying for reviews. Some were earned because the author really did sell that many books, and most five star reviews are legit. It's also been my experience that reviews don't sell a book. Word of mouth does. Since many readers distrust Amazon's rankings and the double secret probation algorithms used to generate them, they don't use the ranks or reviews as buying decisions.

 

[Richard Sutton]

I know there are lots of ways to game the system, but overall I think this is getting better than the free-for-all it was. I will say that in my experience, the one-star reviews are mostly trolled to bring down a book's ratings score or for reasons that usually have nothing to do with the book or the writer's gifts. Two stars is usually blaming the author for the reader having chosen the wrong genre, etc. Three stars is usually the first level at which intelligent commentary begins, with specific reasons why a book disappointed, tricky structure, grammar gaffs, etc. Those are the ones I always look for. I've got a few of my own, too. They sting, but I'm always glad to know what I can do to improve.

 

[Carol Rose]

I'd have to agree with you, @Richard Sutton. Most of the one-star reviews I have on both Amazon and Goodreads are from shills for other authors, or so-called reviewers who go around and one-star all the books in a specific house. I know this to be true because the Evernight authors are a tight-knit bunch and we name and shame these people in a private group on Facebook. Not to out them publicly, but to let each other know hey, this isn't YOU or YOUR BOOK. They're trolling Amazon and GR and doing this to ALL our books. Likely these people are either disgruntled authors whose books were rejected by the house, or who got butt hurt over something trivial, and they hide behind fake names and stir the pot. Sad and pathetic, seriously, that they have nothing more constructive to do.

And of course, we all know that GR is another animal entirely. Don't even get me started on that cluster fuck. Every day I wish that site would implode.

Of the two-star reviews I have, it's mixed. One of them on Amazon was a rant on pricing and she said she hadn't yet read the book. Okay… number one I have NO control over how Evernight prices my books. Number two, fuck you and the horse you rode in on. LOL!! I reported it to Zon, others reported it to Zon, and she is either an Evernight author hiding or one of them told her, because she then changed the review, but it was too late. Screen shots don't lie, baby! LOL! We all reported it to Zon WITH the screen shots of the original review where she ranted about pricing and admitted she hadn't read the book, and they removed it. Don't mess with the big girls unless you know how to play the game.

I have plenty of three star reviews, and some reveal the reviewer can't read because she got plain, cold, hard facts in the story ass-halfed backwards. Those, I ignore because I don't have time to play with fools. The others, I do take to heart. No one is perfect, and even after 75 books now, I learn something new each and every time I write one. I do pay attention to the reviews that offer CONSTRUCTIVE feedback, and where it's clear the reviewer has brain cells that synapse and she actually READ the book.

I don't pay for reviews (who the hell has money for that???) and I do NOT solicit them. My four and five star reviews on Amazon and GR are REAL and fuck anyone who thinks they aren't. The mistrust of good reviews is a double-edged sword. It pisses me off to no end when people summarily dismiss all good reviews out of hand, assuming there is no way an author earned them without some underhandedness going on.

Yes, folks. writing that book and having it published is the easy part. Dealing with the aftermath and this kind of crap is the stuff that will make you question why you did this at all, and why you keep doing it.

 

[Jason Byrne]

I'd have to agree with you, @Richard Sutton. Most of the one-star reviews I have on both Amazon and Goodreads are from shills for other authors, or so-called reviewers who go around and one-star all the books in a specific house. I know this to be true because the Evernight authors are a tight-knit bunch and we name and shame these people in a private group on Facebook. Not to out them publicly, but to let each other know hey, this isn't YOU or YOUR BOOK. They're trolling Amazon and GR and doing this to ALL our books. Likely these people are either disgruntled authors whose books were rejected by the house, or who got butt hurt over something trivial, and they hide behind fake names and stir the pot. Sad and pathetic, seriously, that they have nothing more constructive to do.

And of course, we all know that GR is another animal entirely. Don't even get me started on that cluster fuck. Every day I wish that site would implode.

Of the two-star reviews I have, it's mixed. One of them on Amazon was a rant on pricing and she said she hadn't yet read the book. Okay… number one I have NO control over how Evernight prices my books. Number two, fuck you and the horse you rode in on. LOL!! I reported it to Zon, others reported it to Zon, and she is either an Evernight author hiding or one of them told her, because she then changed the review, but it was too late. Screen shots don't lie, baby! LOL! We all reported it to Zon WITH the screen shots of the original review where she ranted about pricing and admitted she hadn't read the book, and they removed it. Don't mess with the big girls unless you know how to play the game.

I have plenty of three star reviews, and some reveal the reviewer can't read because she got plain, cold, hard facts in the story ass-halfed backwards. Those, I ignore because I don't have time to play with fools. The others, I do take to heart. No one is perfect, and even after 75 books now, I learn something new each and every time I write one. I do pay attention to the reviews that offer CONSTRUCTIVE feedback, and where it's clear the reviewer has brain cells that synapse and she actually READ the book.

I don't pay for reviews (who the hell has money for that???) and I do NOT solicit them. My four and five star reviews on Amazon and GR are REAL and fuck anyone who thinks they aren't. The mistrust of good reviews is a double-edged sword. It pisses me off to no end when people summarily dismiss all good reviews out of hand, assuming there is no way an author earned them without some underhandedness going on.

Yes, folks. writing that book and having it published is the easy part. Dealing with the aftermath and this kind of crap is the stuff that will make you question why you did this at all, and why you keep doing it.

Way to go, sister!


Boom.

 

[Paul Whybrow]

I'd have to agree with you, @Richard Sutton. Most of the one-star reviews I have on both Amazon and Goodreads are from shills for other authors, or so-called reviewers who go around and one-star all the books in a specific house. I know this to be true because the Evernight authors are a tight-knit bunch and we name and shame these people in a private group on Facebook. Not to out them publicly, but to let each other know hey, this isn't YOU or YOUR BOOK. They're trolling Amazon and GR and doing this to ALL our books. Likely these people are either disgruntled authors whose books were rejected by the house, or who got butt hurt over something trivial, and they hide behind fake names and stir the pot. Sad and pathetic, seriously, that they have nothing more constructive to do.

And of course, we all know that GR is another animal entirely. Don't even get me started on that cluster fuck. Every day I wish that site would implode.

Of the two-star reviews I have, it's mixed. One of them on Amazon was a rant on pricing and she said she hadn't yet read the book. Okay… number one I have NO control over how Evernight prices my books. Number two, fuck you and the horse you rode in on. LOL!! I reported it to Zon, others reported it to Zon, and she is either an Evernight author hiding or one of them told her, because she then changed the review, but it was too late. Screen shots don't lie, baby! LOL! We all reported it to Zon WITH the screen shots of the original review where she ranted about pricing and admitted she hadn't read the book, and they removed it. Don't mess with the big girls unless you know how to play the game.

I have plenty of three star reviews, and some reveal the reviewer can't read because she got plain, cold, hard facts in the story ass-halfed backwards. Those, I ignore because I don't have time to play with fools. The others, I do take to heart. No one is perfect, and even after 75 books now, I learn something new each and every time I write one. I do pay attention to the reviews that offer CONSTRUCTIVE feedback, and where it's clear the reviewer has brain cells that synapse and she actually READ the book.

I don't pay for reviews (who the hell has money for that???) and I do NOT solicit them. My four and five star reviews on Amazon and GR are REAL and fuck anyone who thinks they aren't. The mistrust of good reviews is a double-edged sword. It pisses me off to no end when people summarily dismiss all good reviews out of hand, assuming there is no way an author earned them without some underhandedness going on.

Yes, folks. writing that book and having it published is the easy part. Dealing with the aftermath and this kind of crap is the stuff that will make you question why you did this at all, and why you keep doing it.

“A person who publishes a book appears willfully in public eye with his pants down.”
― Edna St. Vincent Millay

 

[Jason Byrne]

“A person who publishes a book appears willfully in public eye with his pants down.”
― Edna St. Vincent Millay

Then just call me Captain Underpants! You'd be in good company — my college roommate was a good guy.

 

[Paul Whybrow]

There are some sensible thoughts about the ratings system on Amazon in this article, (and what an amazing name the journalist has!):

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/men/thin...-but-Amazons-idiotic-reviews-are-useless.html

 

[1408]

I found myself liking and agreeing with everyone on this! I've seen those kinds of fake amazon reviews and I think they're pretty noticeable. Words usually don't match up or it reads like it could be said about anything! On the other side of it, I've definitely seen reviews put in place just to spite the author. I don't know why amazon allows reviews like "read the previous book, this one will be crap too" or "hate the author, didn't read, won't read" and then it goes the other way as well "love the author!!! can't wait to read this book it will be awesome!"

So, like Carol said, I think word of mouth is much more trusted than reviews. Which is kinda sad, because you want to read a review and see someone being honest. Even if they didn't like it, just being honest about it. I mean, I don't even like seeing one star reviews when someone didn't like a book. Okay, you didn't like it. But does it really deserve one star if it was still well-written, just not your cup of tea? I don't know. Maybe I'm just painstakingly polite, but I really don't like giving low reviews unless it is entirely deserved. For example, maybe if the book was advertised falsely, the writer was a charlatan, or something... I don't know. I don't think I've ever left a low review.

 

[Carol Rose]

I agree, @1408 . I'd leave no review before I'd leave a bad review. There are books I don't care for that most people love, and vice versa. It's all subjective. I'd rather not say anything at all than slam someone else's work simply because I didn't care for it.

 

[Nicole Wilson]

I am honest on my reviews. If I didn't like it, why shouldn't I leave a one-star review? All reviews are opinions and I'm simply expressing mine. (That said, I don't usually leave one-star reviews simply bc, in the tiniest hopes and dreams, I don't want it to be an issue if I'm ever a big author.)

 

[Carol Rose]

That's a good point, @Nicole Wilson . I would never leave a nasty review under my pen name. That's like career suicide.

 

[Meerkat]

Back before college, I did leave bad reviews, but I actually wrote very long, point-by-point essays on why the book was flawed. (These were all on non-fiction books with utterly flawed logic and discernible mistruths.) I never left a bad review without concrete evidence for why I did so. Since college, I have not written a bad review on anything, because if a book is bad I prefer to just forget I read it and not be seen as a carp, should I ever be published. Karma and all.

 

[Carol Rose]

Since college, I have not written a bad review on anything, because if a book is bad I prefer to just forget I read it and not be seen as a carp, should I ever be published. Karma and all.

I feel the exact same way. Even under a fake name I'd feel terrible trashing another author like that. We all work so hard. If I don't care for an author's work, I simply stop reading it. There's no point in pounding them into the ground on top of it.

 

[Paul Whybrow]

As the old adage goes for having a show business career, so it is with the world of literature :

“Be kind to everyone on the way up; you’ll meet the same people on the way down.“

 

[Carol Rose]

As the old adage goes for having a show business career, so it is with the world of literature :

“Be kind to everyone on the way up; you’ll meet the same people on the way down.“

Exactly.

 

[Jason Byrne]

As the old adage goes for having a show business career, so it is with the world of literature :

“Be kind to everyone on the way up; you’ll meet the same people on the way down.“

Ooh. Useful and true and depressing.