Search Travel Market Report

algv HPTO
algv
mainlogo
www.travelmarketreport.com
  • News
  • Tours & Packages
  • Cruise
  • Hotels & Resorts
  • Destinations
  • Retail Strategies
  • Niche & Luxury
  • Well-Being Travel
  • Training & Events
  • Who We Are
    • Anne Marie Moebes
    • Brian Israel
    • Dan McCarthy
    • Denise Caiazzo
    • Dori Saltzman
    • Kelly Fontenelle
Sponsored By ALG
Sponsored By ALG
algv

Consumers Risk Their Vacations When Relying on Online Travel Reviews

by Cheryl Rosen / November 13, 2015

Consumers who rely on online review sites to plan their vacation might want to check with a professional travel agent before they pluck down their hard-earned money. Today, you can buy anything online, including positive reviews for your travel business.

Just as the sharing economy has created websites that connect potential buyers and sellers of apartments, it’s also created some that connect buyers and sellers of personal services of all kinds. And on those sites lurk thousands of unscrupulous folks who will pay someone a few dollars to post some five-star comments about their products.

To that end, Amazon in October made news when it sued 1,000 users of Fiverr.com, a freelance website where people offer to do jobs for as little as $5—including writing positive reviews of things they have never used. Often the suppliers actually wrote the reviews themselves; the freelancers simply posted them.

"While small in number, these reviews can significantly undermine the trust that consumers and the vast majority of sellers and manufacturers place in Amazon, which in turn tarnishes Amazon's brand," the Amazon complaint said. But of course, the question remains just how “small in number” those fake complaints are.

Even today, it’s not hard to imagine that Ivana28, who’s willing to “promote your website” for $5, might agree to post a positive review. Or you can just hire Sampath0 to “create a Facebook or twitter fan page.”

In light of the lawsuit—and even before, when the FTC made it clear that fake posts are against the law—the business of fake reviews is an underground economy.

At the same time The Daily Mail recently reported the travel industry is a prime target; it found a woman willing to post a positive hotel review to a place she never visited on Trip Advisor for $5. The paper said the fake review industry is putting at risk over $35 billion in annual vacations by Britons.

Below is a small sampling uncovered by Travel Market Report on some freelance websites:

Try our products and leave a review

Hourly - Entry Level ($) - Est. Time: More than 6 months, 10-30 hrs/week - Posted 21 hours ago

We are looking for people in the US who would like to help us with our product testing. Its extremely simple, we will tell you the product and all you need to do is buy it review it and leave feedback about it. We are looking for a few people to help us. If your (sic) interested please apply. All purchases and product costs are covered by us. Thank you.

Write 8 reviews for different businesses

Fixed-Price - Est. Budget: $7 - Posted 3 hours ago

Looking for someone to write 8 reviews for different businesses. Must be able to follow basic instructions

Number of freelancers needed: 3

Total Hires: 98

Online Reviews

Fixed-Price - Est. Budget: $5 - Posted 2 days ago

I need people to do favourable reviews of a business. Must be 4 or 5 star reviews. A list outlining the things you can cover in your review will be provided. Price is for ONE review to be placed on FOUR different networks.

Number of freelancers needed: 50

need 50+ different Amazon reviews for one product

Hourly - Est. Time: Less than 1 month, 10-30 hrs/week - Posted 7 days ago

I am selling a product on Amazon and need 50 or more reviews. They will all need to be different from different users in places all over the US and world. Please describe how you will go about this and how long it will take you.

Total Hires: 24

Writing Google Business Reviews

Hourly - Entry Level ($) - Est. Time: 3 to 6 months, Less than 10 hrs/week - Posted 25 days ago

I do a lot of work with clients to write reviews for their Google Business pages. I am looking to get some help in writing this reviews. I'll be giving you all info you need to write the review. MUST MUST MUST have English as your PRIMARY language. MUST be able to visit a Google Business page, read what it's about, read other reviewers content, and use that context to write a relevant review that makes sense, and is grammatically correct. 

Number of freelancers needed: 5

  4
  0
alg HPTO

MOST VIEWED

  1. Why Travel Advisors Need to Learn to Say No to New Business
  2. U.S. Passport Renewal Processing Time Now 8 to 11 Weeks
  3. Government of Canada Updates Its Mexico Travel Advisory
  4. U.S. Passport Renewal Waiting Time Could Soon Get Even Worse
  5. European Union Delays Launch of ETIAS Until At Least 2024
  6. Here’s What the U.S. and Canada Are Saying About Travel and Crime in Mexico

MOST EMAILED

  1. U.S. Passport Renewal Processing Time Now 8 to 11 Weeks
  2. U.S. Passport Renewal Waiting Time Could Soon Get Even Worse
  3. Why Travel Advisors Need to Learn to Say No to New Business
  4. European Union Delays Launch of ETIAS Until At Least 2024
  5. What Travel Advisors Need to Know about the Florida Seller of Travel License
  6. 9 Travel-Advisor Friendly Paris Boutique Hotels to Know About
TMR THIS WEEK
Sponsored by Explora Journeys
//services.travelsavers.com/AMGService.svc/REST/GetImage?ImageID=78f79d51-15c7-ed11-b00b-005056a8720b&Width=350&Height&250

All About Culinary Immersion at Sea

Travel advisors can help their foodie clients enjoy true immersion experiences by booking them on culinary-focused cruises.

Read More...
alg
TMR Subscription

Subscribe today to receive daily in-depth coverage, analysis of industry news, trends and issues that affect how you do business. Subscribe now for free.

Subscribe to TMR

Top Stories
Travel Agency February Air Ticket Sales Up 54% Over 2022
Travel Agency February Air Ticket Sales Up 54% Over 2022

Travel agency air ticket sales continue to trend upward.

Read...
U.S. Embassy in Mexico Issues Travel Warning for Spring Breakers
U.S. Embassy in Mexico Issues Travel Warning for Spring Breakers

The Embassy recognized that thousands of U.S. citizens visit Mexico each year without issue during spring break. 

Read...
Hundreds of Flights Cancelled Friday Due to Strike at Four German Airports
Hundreds of Flights Cancelled Friday Due to Strike at Four German Airports

There’s another round of significant flight disruptions due to union action in Germany on Friday.

Read...
Air Canada Adds Summer Service to Amsterdam from Montreal
Air Canada Adds Summer Service to Amsterdam from Montreal

The new service will kick off on June 2.

Read...
U.S. Passport Renewal Waiting Time Could Soon Get Even Worse
U.S. Passport Renewal Waiting Time Could Soon Get Even Worse

It could be the highest demand year ever for passport applications. 

Read...
Royal Caribbean Pulls Erroneous "Premier" Offer
Royal Caribbean Pulls Erroneous "Premier" Offer

A system glitch caused Royal Caribbean to publish and pull a promotion. 

Read...
TMR OUTLOOKS & WHITE PAPERS
river cruise 2022
group outlook 2022
lux cruise outlook
CP White Paper
Multi-Gen Outlook
River Cruise Outlook 2019
View All
Advertiser's Voice
https://img.youtube.com/vi/BDz_-mzUmZA/0.jpg
Meet South Africa with Your Local Guides
About Travel Market Report Mission Staff Advisory Board Advertise
TMR Resources Webinars Calendar of Events Outlook/Whitepapers Previous Sponsored Articles Previous This Week Articles
Subscribe to TMR
Select Language
Do You Have an Idea Email
editor@travelmarketreport.com
Give Us a Call
1-(516) 730-3097
Drop Us a Note
Travel Market Report
71 Audrey Ave, Oyster Bay, NY 11771
News |Tours & Packages |Cruise |Hotels & Resorts |Destinations |Retail Strategies |Niche & Luxury |Well-Being Travel |Training & Events |Who We Are
© 2005 - 2023 Travel Market Report, an American Marketing Group Inc. Company All Rights Reserved | 243 South Street, Oyster Bay, NY, 11771 USA | Telephone (516) 730-3097| Terms and Conditions
Cookie Policy Privacy Policy