On ProductReview.com.au, you might notice that some reviews have a badge that marks them as 'Verified'. This badge means that we've confirmed the customer has indeed purchased the product or service based on information they have provided to us.
ProductReview.com.au has a detailed moderation process that every review goes through before being published. This article will dive deeper into the review verification part of this process. We will outline how we use review verification, why it’s important, and how it helps to ensure we publish quality reviews.
When do we ask for verification?
We ask for verification for every review as part of the review submission process. However, it is not mandatory outside of select categories. Verification is one of many data points we check to ensure we publish valid reviews on ProductReview.com.au.
At the discretion of our Moderation Team, we will ask for a proof of purchase after publishing a review. If the request comes after the review is published, the review is temporarily disabled. Once we receive proof of purchase, we will republish the review.
What's the difference between verified and non-verified reviews?
A verified review is one that has:
- Had a proof of purchase checked and verified by the ProductReview.com.au Moderation Team and/or;
- Been invited through one of our review invitation tools (i.e. our Write Review Link, Manual Campaign, and/or eCommerce Automatic Campaigns) which are accessible through our Brand Management Dashboard.
Many businesses now send review requests to their customers. Reviews coming from these requests are considered unverified unless the customer provides a proof of purchase or the customer has been invited through one of our review invitation tools. These reviews still undergo a detailed moderation process to ensure they are valid reviews.
What documents do we accept as verification?
We accept documents that prove the reviewer bought the product or worked with the business reviewed. These can be receipts, proof of purchase, paperwork, or other information related to the purchase. As our goal is to verify a purchase, we provide a range of ways to do this. Ultimately, it is up to our discretion on what we accept.
What do we do with the information provided?
ProductReview.com.au only uses the information provided to verify the customer. We never share this information with businesses, even when asked, nor do we identify individual customers.
Customers can black out information they don't feel comfortable sharing prior to providing their proof of purchase. For more details about how we handle personal information, please check out ProductReview.com.au’s Privacy Policy.
Do we accept reviews from non-customers?
In certain circumstances, we do accept reviews from non-customers. If a consumer has engaged with a business and they submit a well-written review of their experience, we will accept it. An example would be someone who attempted to sign up with an Internet Service Provider. While not becoming a customer, they can write a review about their experience as a potential customer. A customer’s experience starts from the first touchpoint and these reviews provide insight to other consumers researching the same business.
Verification is one of many tools we use to moderate reviews on ProductReview.com.au. Our goal is to ensure we only publish legitimate reviews that help Australian consumers. We are a business built on trust — if consumers don’t trust the reviews, they will not use our site. With 4.5 million visitors every month, the confidence is there, but it’s an area where we can never rest.