Faux testimonials?

Just woke up and tuned in to see Debbie Flint and the infuriating Phil Parker being even more domineering than usual. While he was doing his usual schtick of squeezing jam all over the floor (yawn) and talking about "when you get a sticky mess" (I can't think when I've EVER had to clean up anything like that and I'm quite sure a bit of Dettol and kitchen towel / washing-up liquid would make a perfectly good job of it) Deb Flint read out what purported to be a testimonial / review which went something like this:

"I live in a house with my husband and 2 sweaty-feet teenagers. No matter what products we used we just couldn't get the sweaty smell out of the house. Then we used the Shark just once and the smell is gone. Very, very happy with this product....."

My first thought was: "Urrgh, don't her family ever bathe / shower?" Then I thought: "Hang on a minute, this cannot reasonably, possibly be true for the scenario it presents sounds just so improbable. Her house stank of sweaty feet to the extent that cleaning would not help! Really?

Just how f***ing STUPID do they think we are?

What other testimonials / endorsement stories have you heard on QVC that just don't quite ring true?

She has an overactive imagination ..

I write reviews for items I buy online, & many I buy in shops, because I feel they may assist people as I've been helped by the comments of others. I can't think of any that have been tales of fantasy but I do get really irritated by those written giving an opinion where it's clear a purchase hasn't been made. The ones that criticise an item for having OR not having something are also a bugbear, if a top obviously has three quarter sleeves don't buy it & then moan that the sleeves weren't long. As for the person with the smelly teens...

Don't forget QVC used to send free products to customers to try. You really think they are going to say this was crap?

Others companies do it too with the unspoken understanding a glowing review will result. Recently a US beauty brand was dropped in the sh*t by an ex-employee who released an email telling staff to review products on Sephora and online beauty retailers giving the products good reviews. Reading online forums a number who have worked for beauty companies said it happens all the time with all sorts of companies encouraging staff to review.

My Dyson cleaner battery is on the way out after 3 years of punishing daily service.Do you think if I asked really nicely they would send me a new one to 'try'.I would give an objective review as if I'd never used one before.I'm a faithful long time customer.
:mysmilie_12:xxxxxx:mysmilie_17:

On their Facebook posts pop up people asking how to join or can they join the custom panel? Every time the reply is the list is closed.

I review everything I buy on Amazon because I, too, have been helped by others. Whether it’s just the items I buy, I don’t know, but the reviews I read a lot of the time are from men on behalf of their wives! Why don’t the wives take the initiative?

Now, I have read recently Amazon is deleting all the bad reviews, this is from more than one forum it is being said.

I wrote a review yesterday for a sample face mask I was given, cost £230+ for the pot! Lovely mask all well until the next morning I woke with two large red spots. I put that in my review and said it was not suitable for sensitive skin.

Which mask was that Donna?

A few months ago I was given a sample of EL diamond moisturiser, full size costs about the same as your mask sample.
I would never in a million years buy such a product, but the girl on counter gave it to me as I was looking at it (in disbelief at the price)
The sample was a small 7ml jar, I used it all week and ended up with spots on my chin and side of nose.
I can't really moan, it was free after all. Interesting though to have tried such a ridiculously priced cream.

China Girl said:

Which mask was that Donna?

A few months ago I was given a sample of EL diamond moisturiser, full size costs about the same as your mask sample.
I would never in a million years buy such a product, but the girl on counter gave it to me as I was looking at it (in disbelief at the price)
The sample was a small 7ml jar, I used it all week and ended up with spots on my chin and side of nose.
I can't really moan, it was free after all. Interesting though to have tried such a ridiculously priced cream.

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What did you title your review? Spot The Difference?!

Then there are the ‘reviews’ such as
(A) 5 stars awarded but they haven’t tried the product yet but ‘it looks good’
And
(B) 1 star because it was late or the box was grubby. Very useful info for me - not !

ERICS MUM said:

Then there are the ‘reviews’ such as
(A) 5 stars awarded but they haven’t tried the product yet but ‘it looks good’
And
(B) 1 star because it was late or the box was grubby. Very useful info for me - not !

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Yes. I also hate the reviews that describe the packaging in minute detail. I'm really not interested in that - just tell me about the product!

Dale Franklin was on touting a men's shaving product recently. He said he uses nothing but that brand and was then surprised when Keeley said he could use it with his electric razor. This kind of suggested he had been lying as he didn't seem familiar with the product at all.

Julius said:

Dale Franklin was on touting a men's shaving product recently. He said he uses nothing but that brand and was then surprised when Keeley said he could use it with his electric razor. This kind of suggested he had been lying as he didn't seem familiar with the product at all.

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He could have said that he’d never tried it, and asked Keeley to explain how to use it and the benefits. That would persuade me more than making up an untrue story.

Julius said:

Dale Franklin was on touting a men's shaving product recently. He said he uses nothing but that brand and was then surprised when Keeley said he could use it with his electric razor. This kind of suggested he had been lying as he didn't seem familiar with the product at all.

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....As if Dale's having used a product would make us all wanna buy it in our millions......."Hey you guys!!!!!....be more Dale..!!!!!!!"

Uncle knobhead.

ERICS MUM said:

He could have said that he’d never tried it, and asked Keeley to explain how to use it and the benefits. That would persuade me more than making up an untrue story.

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That would be professional approach; it would allow the guest to explain the benefits & sell the product to the customers. Instead we get the transparently false claims & endorsements mixed up with too much glib chatter. Most of the sales staff at the Q have been there for so long they've become too casual & constantly demonstrate that they aren't very bright. I've just sent an email complaining about how rude Andi Peters was last night, I know that I won't get a reply but sent it anyway.

Julius said:

Yes. I also hate the reviews that describe the packaging in minute detail. I'm really not interested in that - just tell me about the product!

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I don’t know why I hadn’t noticed before that you can respond to the review to state if it was useful or not.
Where I have had to look today at a review for an item and disagreed,as it was a moan about what wasn’t in it instead of reviewing what was, I ticked the NO for not useful, great feeling. So Sad I know.