Review Guidelines

For Reviewers

A/ How to write a good review?

Typically, the top-performing reviews on Trustindex are those that are both detailed and informative, offering a personal account of an experience with a website or business. You have the freedom to discuss the advantages and drawbacks, your preferences and dislikes, and the reasons behind your recommendation (or lack thereof). A practical guideline to consider is asking yourself, “Would I find this review helpful?” or “What insights do I wish I had when I initially discovered this business?”

Reviews have the flexibility to encompass not only the services or products provided by a specific website but also insights into the content of the site itself. For instance, if it’s a news site or a platform hosting humorous videos, you’re welcome to provide feedback on those aspects. In essence, you can review anything that is associated with a website.

B/ What not to do in your reviews?

To keep reviews fair, please don’t review your own business or any that you’re linked to.

Also, please avoid using rude language or making personal attacks, like hate speech, bigotry, or inappropriate content. Remember, people of all ages read online reviews, so being respectful and polite is the way to go.

C/ Can I share a bad experience in my review?

Absolutely! You can write about both positive and negative experiences, which can be valuable for other consumers. However, it’s crucial to be truthful and offer as much relevant information as you can. While expressing your opinions is usually fine, posting false information can lead to legal consequences.

D/ Do you delete reviews?

In general, we uphold the principle of free speech and don’t remove reviews. However, there are specific situations where we do remove them when necessary, such as:

D1. Clash of interest

  • Second-hand experiences
  • Personal attacks like hate speech, bigotry, and lewd content
  • Irrelevance (e.g., spam or a review meant for a different business)

D2. Regarding Plagiarism

Additionally, an automated algorithm is in place to identify and remove certain reviews, aiming to safeguard both buyers and businesses from fraudulent or copied reviews.

D3. Reason for not accepting/removing reviews

  • Violates Terms of Use
  • Fake or Spam reviews
  • Irrelevant content
  • Inappropriate language or content
  • Conflicts of interest
  • Duplicated content
  • Privacy concerns
  • Defamation or false information
  • Bias or prejudice
  • Promotional content

For Companies

A/ What can I do when receiving a bad review?

It’s common to receive a negative review on occasion. A few bad reviews typically won’t significantly impact your business, especially when balanced by positive feedback from satisfied customers. In fact, a mix of opinions can be helpful.

When your business receives a bad review, there are several steps you can take to address the situation effectively.

A1. Best Practices for Responding to Bad Reviews

If you’re a business owner and want to respond to a review, you can do this through your Trustindex account. If you don’t have a business account yet, you can create your free profile here.

  • Respond quickly: A prompt response shows that the business values customer feedback and is committed to resolving issues.
  • Stay professional and polite: Avoid defensive or confrontational language. Acknowledge the customer’s concerns and express empathy.
  • Acknowledge the issue: Recognize the customer’s experience and apologize for any inconvenience caused.
  • Provide a solution: Offer to rectify the situation, whether through a refund, replacement, or other forms of compensation. If possible, move the conversation offline to resolve the matter privately.
  • Express gratitude: Thank the reviewer for their feedback, regardless of its nature. Constructive criticism can help improve the business.

A2. Collect New Reviews

Once you’ve responded to the negative review, it is important to work on collecting more positive feedback to outweigh the negative ratings.

  • Ask for reviews: Encourage satisfied customers to leave positive reviews. This can be done through review invitation emails, at the point of sale, or through social media.
  • Simplify the process: Provide clear instructions and direct links to review platforms to make it easy for customers to leave reviews.
  • Analyze feedback: Use your reviews to identify areas for improvement and implement changes to enhance customer satisfaction.

A3. Reporting False Reviews

Oftentimes, businesses have to deal with fake/spam reviews. If a review is suspected to be false, you should report it through the proper channels provided by the original review platform, supplying any necessary documentation or proof to support their claim, and also report them in your Trustindex account.

  • Check for authenticity: Determine if the review is genuine by verifying the customer’s experience with records or databases.
  • Report on the original site: Each review platform has a process for reporting false reviews. Follow these guidelines to submit a report.
  • Report on Trustindex: Make sure to also flag the fake reviews in your Trustindex account with the Report button. This way Trustindex can also send a report, potentially speeding up the removal process.
  • Supply supporting evidence: When reporting a false review, provide any necessary documentation or proof that the review is not legitimate.
  • Track the status: Follow up with the platform to ensure the review is investigated and removed if found to be false.

B/ How to collect real reviews easily

Collecting reviews can be crucial for building trust and credibility for your business. Here are some strategies to help you collect reviews more easily:

  1. Request Reviews with Trustindex:
  2. Display Positive Reviews:
    • Display positive reviews on your website with Review Widgets. This encourages others to leave reviews as well and draws in more potential customers.
  3. Use Social Media:
    • Use your social media platforms to encourage reviews. You can create Review Images to share on your platforms directly.

C/ How to request a revision for a review

When reporting fake/spam reviews, we have to take into account the origin of the review – if it is submitted through Trustindex, or if it comes from another review platform.

C1. If the review is submitted to the Trustindex platform

Everyone can request a revision of a review published on the Trustindex platform if the validity of the review arises. The review is not acceptable (thereby deleted) if it contradicts the conditions set in the Review Guidelines.

The official way to revise a review is to report the review through the Trustindex system. This can be done on the “Review management” page in Trustindex Admin or on the Public Review Summary Page by clicking on the “Report” button and selecting the perceived reason.

Once the report is submitted, our customer service team will request proof (images, documentation, invoice, receipt) from the person who wrote the review. This allows us to verify if there was any relationship between the company and the reviewer.

The reviewer has 2 weeks to produce the evidence (of the service or purchase) or contact us. During this time, the review can appear in the same way as it does before the revision process. 

Revision & removal of a review 

Clients of Trustindex can also request a revision of a review posted through Trustindex if they suspect it does not comply with Trustindex’s Terms of Use and/or Privacy Policy and/or Review Guidelines.

Process of the revision

The official way to revise a review is to report the review through the Trustindex system. This can be done on the “Review management” page in Trustindex Admin or on the Public Review Summary Page by clicking on the “Report” button and selecting the perceived reason.

Once the report is submitted, our customer service team will request proof (images, documentation, invoice, receipt) from the person who wrote the review. This allows us to verify if there was any relationship between the company and the reviewer.

The reviewer has 2 weeks to produce the evidence (of the service or purchase) or contact us. During this time, the review can appear in the same way as it does before the revision process. 

In a dispute over the validity of a review, proof of purchase is essential to establish that a transaction took place.

Acceptable forms of proof of purchase typically include:

  • Receipt: detailing the date, time, and items/services bought
  • Invoice: A document issued by the seller listing the goods or services provided, their quantities, and the total price.
  • Bank or Credit Card Statement: A statement showing the transaction, including the date, amount, and merchant name.
  • Email Confirmation: Often used for online purchases, this includes order details and payment confirmation.
  • Digital Receipts: Many retailers provide digital receipts via email or their mobile app, which can be used as proof of purchase.
  • Purchase Order: A document issued by the buyer to the seller, indicating the types, quantities, and agreed prices for products or services.
  • Confirmation from the Retailer: A written confirmation from the retailer that the purchase was made, which might include an order number or other identifying details.

The revision of the review has 2 possible outcomes:

  • If the reviewer submits proof and it will be accepted: the review remains unchanged.
  • If the reviewer does not submit any acceptable evidence within the grace period, the review will be marked as unacceptable and can be removed from Trustindex forever. It will not appear on the Public Review Summary Page and will not be included in the rating score.

We will not remove the review only upon a request being made. If you have a problem with a review, we suggest you start an official review revision.

C2. If the review is NOT submitted through the Trustindex platform

If the review originates not from Trustindex, but another review platform, yet it appears on the Trustindex Public Review Summary Page due to aggregation, the review revision must be initiated on the platform where the review was submitted, because Trustindex has no power to remove reviews posted on Google, Facebook, and other platforms. If a review is deleted on the original platform, it will also be removed from the Trustindex system within 1 week at the latest, as reviews are automatically updated sooner or later by the platform. You can report reviews in your Trustindex account as well as through the original site, this way Trustindex can also send a report to the original platform, potentially speeding up the removal process.