Key Highlights
- Government announces new norms to curb fake online products and services reviews
- Buyers check user reviews to decide whether to purchase the product before buying a product
- The new rules are now enabled and are applicable to e-commerce sites like Amazon, Flipkart, and more
With the government enacting new regulations to combat fake reviews and aid consumers in making informed decisions, e-commerce players like Amazon and Flipkart will be required to voluntarily disclose all paid consumer ratings of products and services supplied on their platforms. In this post, we will go over the specifics of these new regulations and how they will help consumers.
What Are The New Guidelines?
The government announced new guidelines on November 21 after constituting a committee to look into fraudulent and misleading reviews on June 10 of this year. The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has issued a new standard dubbed “IS 19000:2022” that requires platforms to have review administrators who moderate reviews and filter (manually or with the use of tools) biased or fake reviews. Additionally, it stated that the ratings and publishing date must be included in reviews posted on platforms.
Consumers will no longer be able to edit their reviews after they have been submitted, per the new regulations. Those who want to post reviews must agree to the terms and conditions and give their contact details.
Additionally, a website will be penalized for unfair trading practices if it is shown to have carried fake reviews. Among the websites covered by the new standard are Zomato, Swiggy, Tata Sons, Reliance Retail, Meta, and Amazon.
New Guidelines: How Will They Benefit?
E-commerce websites routinely request consumer reviews, and many of them actually submit one. Reviews can also contain short videos and photographs in addition to “stars” and text. These reviews not only enhance a company’s or brand’s reputation but also inform consumers about the specifics of the product’s operation.
Before purchasing a product, potential buyers check user reviews to decide whether to purchase the product. Users’ reviews can help prospective purchasers decide whether or not to buy a product before making a purchase. There have been several cases where people created fictitious reviews to promote a certain product. They tricked other customers into purchasing a product that they may not have initially selected or shortlisted.
With the implementation of new guidelines, widespread fake reviews will be eliminated, enabling customers to obtain a more accurate impression of a company or product. They will be able to make a more informed choice in purchasing the products online. Also, it will push businesses to build a reputation to provide better sales experience to consumers.
Also Read | Get Notified When Deals Go Live On Amazon: Here’s How
