Is Takealot manipulating product reviews?

[Tman543]

I dont see a way to edit your review on take alot after it has been published. Is there a way to edit it?

This blady item broke after I gave it a good review. Talk about murphys law.

 

[Pegging]

what company actually publishes bad reviews?
Amazon dont, so why should Takealot?

Maybe have a look at the Amazon website before posting crap.

 

[Jet-Fighter7700]

Maybe have a look at the Amazon website before posting crap.

but arent there people specifically paid to post fake reviews?
and yet more people paid to "clean" reviews up?

its all a fantasy the reviews you get anywhere are real

 

[Pegging]

I dont see a way to edit your review on take alot after it has been published. Is there a way to edit it?

This badly item broke after I gave it a good review. Talk about murphys law.

You can report it.

You can also write a new review. I don't know if that will overwrite it, I imagine it should.

 

[dualmeister]

before I take it further

Good luck.
Last time I complained to them I was told nicely to go buy somewhere else if I was not happy with them.

 

[*SynergyX*]

this is normal practice on most websites -- noticed it many times over the years.

 

[Pegging]

but arent there people specifically paid to post fake reviews?
and yet more people paid to "clean" reviews up?

its all a fantasy the reviews you get anywhere are real

Are all the reviews on Amazon fake in your opinion?

 

[Jet-Fighter7700]

Are all the reviews on Amazon fake in your opinion?

yes, majority of them are,
like I said there are people paid a salary to sit all day and post reviews, and get to keep the product.

its an actual "job"
EDIT:https://www.bbc.com/news/business-56069472
they even advertise their services for all to see.

 

[Pegging]

yes, majority of them are,
like I said there are people paid a salary to sit all day and post reviews, and get to keep the product.

its an actual "job"
EDIT:https://www.bbc.com/news/business-56069472
they even advertise their services for all to see.

Really? The majority? Where does your article say that? And do they do they fake the "verified purchase" as well?



According to you they don't post bad reviews at all.
Are you still sure?

 

[Nerfherder]

Or perhaps they remove the reviews which paint them (Takealot) in a poor light. Them being incompetent and shipping the wrong item for instance. I once ordered a TV from them. They delivered a drum set. That is when I discovered they no longer list their phone numbers on the site. Tell-tale sign of a company that takes customer service seriously.

Perhaps that is the case because I see negative product reviews all over the place.

I think if the review is not related to the actual product then they remove it - which is valid.
I think in the case of the OP the product packaging was exchanged which is the fault of takealot not the manufactures

 

[Herr der Verboten]

Hi all,

Just want to see if others experience (or have experienced) the same, before I take it further.

I normally provide a fair product review on some items I buy, and have noticed recently that on two recent occasions a product I reviewed on Takealot is not reflecting what I actually submitted. I know and understand that they vet and approve the reviews, however I'm talking of them publishing something very different from what I submitted. The most recent example is:

I bought a particular 4-bulb spot light fitting advertised as white in colour. My submitted review went along the lines of:

"The product received was not as advertised; it was not white in colour, the box that arrived stated bronze and the actual unit inside the box was silver. The box was also damaged and part of the unit was exposed, but luckily the unit seems intact and undamaged, although I have not fitted it yet. Not what I ordered per the product description, however I will use the unit in another room and obtain the correct colour unit from another supplier that advertises correctly." I gave a 2 star rating as the product was wrong, the packaging was damaged and I had to source a correct unit.

What they have published in my name simply says "The product is as advertised" They gave a 3 star rating.

I cannot submit a further rating as I have already submitted one for the product involved. There also seems to be no contact details where I can submit a complaint or query, only their FAQ.

So my question is "Should they be doing this and why are they getting away with it?" How can they decide to ignore what was submitted and provide their own comment and rating on my name? This cannot be legal.

Have others experienced similar?

Is this like mybroadband competitions conspiracy thread(s)?

 

[dualmeister]

The thing that does irritate me about Takealot reviews is this though.

They use the same review that was posted for a product that they were selling and then use it if the product is sold on behalf of another party.

For example.

Takealot sells product XYZ for R500. A customer posts that this is a really good price and well worth the money.
Takealot sells the same product on behalf of Company X for R4500, but uses the same review

 

[chrisc]

I've had friends tell me that Takealot does not add negative reviews to their products however I have not actually confirmed this claim myself.

I rarely buy from them and when I do, I rarely make any reviews especially if it's a well known product that has reviews all over the web.

They do, I have submitted a poor review of a kettle said to be "GAS and STOVETOP" to find out that the gas flame made the colour finish blister and peel

Having said that, it is still on sale and the price has increased

 

[Spizz]

I got what I believe to be a fake Nintendo Switch controller last week. I returned it on Friday and thought about a review but I'll wait for my refund first.

 

[howardb]

Is this like mybroadband competitions conspiracy thread(s)?

Nope, was a genuine question/concern in2019, still going on today, but even worse...

I do most of my shopping online, and some stores are fairly good with their reviews process, whilst others are simply horrendous. I find other sources for item reviews for a gauge on the product itself.

Another pet hate on SA online stores in particular is the absolute lack of product information. Example is a simple bookcase, where there are no dimensions, no product pictures (just stock "looks like" pics), etc, etc.
Kind of beats having an online store if limited details are shown. Builders is a prime example of this...

 

[Big Rat]

They did not post my one star review either for a bulb on the car. every single description they gave was wrong for the bulb. 100w vs 55. White vs the yellow i got, bright where it was much weaker as normal, xenon vs actually halogen. Still grates my balls...

 

[Fulcrum29]

From my view, Takealot does post negative remarks, but not those which are detailed. Dare not submit a constructive review which uses criticism to better the customer experience with the product and the service. Personally, I think that criticism, positive or negative, is interpreted as an attack, though it can be purposed to steer towards betterment. Sellers complain about poor customer reception... Takealot does not like it because it alienates new, current and potential sellers. It is the same reason some companies rely on aggregator review services, because it doesn't mirror their own product, but positivity in general.

 

[Herr der Verboten]

Nope, was a genuine question/concern in2019, still going on today, but even worse...

I do most of my shopping online, and some stores are fairly good with their reviews process, whilst others are simply horrendous. I find other sources for item reviews for a gauge on the product itself.

Another pet hate on SA online stores in particular is the absolute lack of product information. Example is a simple bookcase, where there are no dimensions, no product pictures (just stock "looks like" pics), etc, etc.
Kind of beats having an online store if limited details are shown. Builders is a prime example of this...

Which online stores do you prefer if you had a choice where to buy?

 

[howardb]

Which online stores do you prefer if you had a choice where to buy?

Difficult, as I purchase at many online places. Takealot, Loot, etc seem to stock most items, but I also use many one-off places - boils down to who stocks what at a reasonable price point and actually has fair consumer reviews and full product details listed. Often also go to the manufacturer website for product details, then a mix of local and overseas websites for consumer reviews, focusing on those that reflect details of failure rate of the product, longevity, usability, etc, before making a decision.

 

[josh-ct]

I bought a product that had no reviews.
As soon as it arrived. I tested it thoroughly a day.
Then I left a 1 star review.
My review hasn't appeared yet (ok, it's only been 24hrs)
But coincidentally 1 5 star review has appeared.
I reported the 5 star review as probably fake. Let's see what happens.

Details
https://www.takealot.com/xentec-18650-3000mah-lithium-ion-battery-2-pack/PLID73774775
I bought 3 packs, 6 cells total. I cycled them twice at 1000mA charge/discharge current, and then once at 500mA charge/discharge current to confirm.
4 of the cells were around 1800mAh and 2 were around 2000mAh.
1 of the 6 cells has a massive (and skew) bump on the positive terminal, and it has a very high internal resistance of around 191mOhm, which limited it's max charge current to around 600mA average.

As an amazing coincidence. These XenTec created their own original model number for their claimed 3000mAh cells that match exactly a Samsung 2500mAh cell, and XenTec even added the letters "SDI" to their cell which also appears on Samsung Cells. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samsung_SDI

I've requested a return, of course.

==============

Incase you're not familiar with the 18650 situation (that's the name of the size of this type of Lithium-Ion Cell, what people commonly refer to as "a battery", which actually means multiple cells connected together)

They're mainly manufactured by Panasonic, LG, Samsung and Sanyo. These companies do not sell them directly to the public. Only resellers will sell to the public. 99.99% of people who buy them don't have the equipment or skills to test them. So as a result of these factors, counterfeit 18650's are much more common than genuine ones.
That means cells get salvaged from broken laptops etc and often the colored plastic sleeve is removed, then they're we-wrapped in new plastic sleeves and have (often fake) stuff printed on them, like model numbers of expensive cells. Then they're sold as "new" and consumers don't know.
Because counterfeit cells are much more commonly sold than genuine, consumers compare the new counterfeit cells that they bought to the previous counterfeit cells that they bought. "My flashlight seems to run for longer, must be genuine!"

It's also worth mentioning, that when I look at cells offered by legit electronics shops. I've not seen any cells that are less than 2200mAh. (the shops I'm referring to all only sell new cells)