Trustpilot supports conclusions from Dutch Authority for Consumers & Markets' review study

18 May, 2017 – New York – Denver – London – Melbourne – Copenhagen – Berlin – Trustpilot strongly supports the conclusions of the Dutch Authority for Consumers & Markets’ (ACM) recent study and is pleased to see an increased focus on consumers and online reviews.

“Trust in online reviews is critical to the success of our industry and Trustpilot strongly supports the ACM’s call for increased transparency. We believe that open conversations deliver real value and encourage all consumers who have had a genuine buying or service experience to share their opinions,” said Kasper Heine, Head of Trust & Transparency at Trustpilot.

The ACM found that use of online reviews is on the rise and that they’re becoming increasingly important for consumers and companies alike. While the study didn’t find any structural problems in the Dutch online review industry, the ACM calls for increased transparency from all parties involved in the collection, publication, and management of online reviews.

With so many consumers relying on reviews when looking for products or services, companies have a responsibility to show reviews in a fair and balanced way. The ACM has therefore highlighted the key rules that companies should follow when using them, such as:

•  Inform consumers about how reviews are collected and presented;

• Treat positive and negative reviews equally as much as possible;

• Publish reviews as soon as possible;

• Be transparent about the circumstances in which the reviews were written, for example letting consumers know if incentives were offered for writing a review.

All reviews, whether positive, negative or neutral, are published instantly on Trustpilot and are never delayed or censored. Companies that offer incentives or rewards when asking for reviews must offer them neutrally and equally to all reviewers as well as inform Trustpilot’s Compliance Team that they’re doing so.

“These rules, along with a host of other manual and automated processes that safeguard the Trustpilot platform, ensure that open and honest feedback can continue to build trust between consumers and businesses,” said Kasper Heine.  

Learn more about how Trustpilot fights fake reviews here.

To read this post in Dutch, please click here.