Amazon Removes Choetech From Platform After Company Was Allegedly Caught Paying for Five-Star Reviews

Sophie Webster, Tech Times 08 July 2021, 12:07 pm

Amazon has blocked another manufacturer from selling products on its platform as the e-commerce giant continues to investigate the business practices of its sellers.

Amazon Removes Choetech from Site

Amazon shoppers have shared stories on community boards about companies promising discounts and gifts in exchange for five-star reviews on the e-commerce site.

The practice is frowned upon and considered fraudulent since the reviews posted on Amazon are not real. It is just a tactic to get ahead of the competitors, especially when it comes to product searches.

To prevent deception and to promote the fair game, Amazon has been investigating incidents on its platform. Unfortunately, a couple of companies were found guilty of manipulating their ratings.

Also Read: After Fake Reviews, Amazon Goes After Counterfeit Products

The latest company to get the boot on Amazon is Choetech, a Chinese tech accessory brand from China. As of July 8, the Chinese company has been completely delisted from the platform.

While Amazon has not released an official statement about its decision to discontinue its partnership with Choetech, The Verge reported that Choetech was caught in the crackdown on paid reviews.

Amazon has stringent guidelines, especially when it comes to product reviews. The e-commerce company prohibits sellers from posting reviews of their products, paying for five-star reviews, or offering money or gifts to entice users to leave positive reviews.

Amazon has been clear about its zero-tolerance policy for violations of its guidelines. The guidelines also state that any company caught going against the rules will be immediately removed from the platform and will no longer be given a chance to sell on Amazon again.

Removing products from companies that pay for positive reviews is a win for Amazon consumers. They are assured that everything they read regarding the items is true and coming from other consumers.

Other Tech Firms Caught in the Crackdown

In May, Amazon shoppers were surprised to find out that Aukey and Mpow were missing from the site. The two electronics sellers have disappeared without warning, and consumers were not notified about what happened.

Aukey, a major seller of portable batteries, chargers, and other tech accessories, was the first to go. Mpow, a major seller of headphones, car mounts, and other gadgets, became unavailable a couple of hours later.

Amazon did not confirm nor deny the suspicion that the companies were caught manipulating their reviews, but the e-commerce company did release a statement regarding the issue.

Amazon pointed out that they are strict when it comes to protecting the integrity of their site and are always making sure that each product is authentic, all reviews are genuine, and that the products meet the consumers' expectations.

In 2020, Amazon blocked more than 10 billion suspected bad listings before they were published on the site.

Antivirus review website SafetyDetectives revealed how some Amazon vendors found a way to solicit and pay for false five-star reviews.

Although Amazon refuses to comment further on the issue, SafetyDetectives found two accounts describing how Mpow used review-soliciting tactics, including a post from XDA Developers that revealed how Aukey offered $!00 in exchange for a five-star review.