Furniture shop caught posting fake 5-star reviews
Loft Home Furnishing published five-star reviews on products on its website between November 2022 and August 2023.
The reviews gave glowing recommendations on the quality of the purchased furniture, and contained actual photos of the furniture displayed in customers’ homes.
But here's the catch.
The customers did not post the reviews despite them carrying the customers' initials.
After receiving the customers' complaints, the Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore (CCCS) launched an investigation last October and found fake five-star reviews made by at least seven "customers" on the website.
Investigations also revealed that only Loft Home Furnishing and two of its related businesses, Loft Home Furniture and Loft Industries, had access to the customers’ information and were in possession of the photos used in the reviews.
Loft Home Furnishing admitted to the misdeed.
The posting of a fake review by a business in relation to a consumer transaction is an unfair trade practice as consumers might be deceived or misled into thinking that the review was genuine.
The Loft Home Entities have given an undertaking to CCCS that they will, among other things, stop posting fake reviews, set up a whistleblowing channel and remove the fake reviews.
"Online reviews play an important role in helping consumers make purchasing decisions," said CCCS chief executive Alvin Koh.
"These reviews can shape customers’ perception of a brand and its products, and when businesses fabricate reviews to make themselves look good, consumers may be misled into making purchases.
"CCCS will make this an area of enforcement priority in the coming months, and will continue to take action against businesses who engage in such unscrupulous acts."
Get The New Paper on your phone with the free TNP app. Download from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store now