myTukar’s open letter to Carsome puts spotlight on gaming Google/FB reviews for 5-star rating practice

myTukar has issued an open letter to Carsome slamming the practice of incentivising users to give 5-star reviews in return for a chance to win prizes.

This was in reference to a recent campaign by Carsome where 5-star reviews posted with the most ‘likes’ can stand a chance to win prizes worth RM60,000 including the latest iPhone 15 Pro.

myTukar’s open letter to Carsome puts spotlight on gaming Google/FB reviews for 5-star rating practice
myTukar’s open letter to Carsome puts spotlight on gaming Google/FB reviews for 5-star rating practice

Google actually prohibits such behaviour. This type of promotion falls under the “Deceptive content & behaviour” section of Google’s User Contributed Content Policy.

According to Google, these reviews constitute fake engagement and will be removed. Google’s policies can be read here, and there is a screenshot of it below.

myTukar’s open letter to Carsome puts spotlight on gaming Google/FB reviews for 5-star rating practice

User contributed reviews serve as a valuable resource for consumers seeking informed purchases. By perusing reviews, consumers can gauge a business’s quality, service standards, and overall reputation conveniently in one location.

Prior customers’ experiences, shared through reviews, empower prospective buyers to make well-informed decisions tailored to their needs. It’s common these days to see users asking “gaiz, so and so service okay tak?” on social media.