Does it really matter?
I'm all for fake reviews, real reviews, a mix of whatever.. I think business owners should post REAL* reviews on the customer's behalf, there is nothing wrong with that. Nothing. Posting fake ones? (That's just scamming people, the intention is fraud-like).
Let's be real. Our local business deals with negative reviews from time to time, and people LOVE to complain over the smallest things. I mean outside of our company, I see people on Amazon screaming over how a freaking 8x10 $100 rug shed a little bit of fur. Keep in mind a comparable rug is like $600+, $4K if you want an amazing one. You get what you pay for, and you got a hell of a deal, but you still aren't happy?
......
You can't please everyone. I offer world class support, and will do EVERYTHING to make a customer happy, but some people just suck. I hate to say that, I love being helpful, running a business with value, but people are so damn negative.
On the other end of the spectrum here... There's a freaking ton of businesses that suck, and don't care about customers, just profit. Macy's is a STRONG example of this.
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Also a GOOD percent of the time, it's the customer's fault. Again I hate to say that, but most people don't read the fine print, they don't research before buying, or they don't even know why their buying something in the first place. Then again, most businesses do genuinely mess up, it's a 50-50 split of people being mistreated and people not making an educated purchase.
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Perhaps the biggest point I want to say:
People don't give a shit about family business, local stores, etc. or a personal neighborly experience, anymore. They don't care how long you've been around, how many community events you've sponsored, etc.
They only care about the low price, mega-walmart stores, selection, and getting whatever they want as fast as possible. (Look at blackfriday, look at Mcdonalds).. People are still buying from mega companies that outsource support overseas, vs. the local family shop that still picks up the phone everytime on the first ring.
(There's a good video on this out there somewhere).
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Put yourself in a business owners shoes, you know one who's been around for years.. He severed your parents, grandparents, your aunt and uncle before you were born. He was at your school's baseball team, and sponsored it so you could play ball. Did everything he could, always had your (example) shoes repaired before you headed out for prom night, or a job interview... But then, the customer says fuck all of that, I can save $2 over at Walmart and it will be done in 5 min less.
All of the sudden he has to deal with shoppers like this?
The customers that LOVED his store went away, and the new ones that came into his store HATED it because they didn't understand the stores history. The relationship wasn't built yet.
And they leave horrible reviews that force him to close his store...
It's not right at all.
