Trustpilot review

[Faust]

Hi. I haven't posted here for a while.

I have left an appropriate and genuine review on Trustpilot last year. Seems XenForo still flagging my review for some reason.

That's really unprofessional from XenForo to remove customer's review.

I will provide further evidence to Trustpilot, as proof of being a XenForo customer.

 

[Chris D]

If an experience does not appear familiar to us, it is routine to ask Trustpilot to ask the reviewer for more details. We do this for all reviews, even positive ones sometimes.

In 2022/2023 we were review bombed by one or more people leaving multiple negative reviews, none of which were from an actual customer. It is only right and fair that in those cases, the reviews are removed because they don't reflect a genuine experience and they are against the Trustpilot terms of service.

There is nothing unprofessional about such a thing. Not least because if you are able to provide such evidence - as I am sure you will be - whichever review you're referring to will be able to stay.

It's a completely impartial process that protects businesses from fake reviews, protects genuine customers leaving genuine reviews and protects Trustpilot's credibility.

 

[Faust]

If an experience does not appear familiar to us, it is routine to ask Trustpilot to ask the reviewer for more details. We do this for all reviews, even positive ones sometimes.

In 2022/2023 we were review bombed by one or more people leaving multiple negative reviews, none of which were from an actual customer. It is only right and fair that in those cases, the reviews are removed because they don't reflect a genuine experience and they are against the Trustpilot terms of service.

There is nothing unprofessional about such a thing. Not least because if you are able to provide such evidence - as I am sure you will be - whichever review you're referring to will be able to stay.

It's a completely impartial process that protects businesses from fake reviews, protects genuine customers leaving genuine reviews and protects Trustpilot's credibility.

Thanks for your reply. Well, my review is accordingly and genuinely. You have flagged last year my review, which I have provided further details to Trustpilot, with proof of purchases of 3 licenses.

And today I have received this again from Trustpilot. To be honest, I don't think there's something to do with Trustpilot terms and services, as I have left other reviews in the past, and never been flagged.

Which makes me think that XenForo intentionally removes negative reviews from Trustpilot, by flagging them.

 

[Chris D]

I will look into this. To the best of my knowledge we're not able to flag reviews that have already been flagged, as a business. Trustpilot makes a decision and then that stands.

On reviews where we had reason to believe they weren't genuine but then found out that they were, I don't believe we are able to do anything further.

I'm not sure whether users themselves are able to flag reviews or what recourse that has.

 

[Chris D]

I should add for clarity:

When we "ask for more information" about a review, this isn't always with an assumption that the experience isn't genuine.

Sometimes we genuinely don't know who left the review or why. And in those cases it is good as a business to tie the review to an actual customer and their experience - such as a ticket or purchase - so that it can be a more meaningful interaction. In some cases we might want to follow up with a customer directly, reply to the review after we have more context, or learn from that experience in the future.

 

[Faust]

Fair enough @Chris D

But from my side, I did provided everything to proof I am a genuine customer, and not someone who want to denigrate XenForo reputation.

Sure, will wait for updates from Trustpilot, and for me, seems a bit weird, that my review is not twice flagged.

 

[Suzanne O]

Lol!!! You shouldn't threaten us by taking away the negative comments.
The simple thing is you cannot be set in your ways the whole time when someone reviews your service.
You should be listening. Just like when we as paying customers have to be attentive to you.

 

[Slavik]

Lol!!! You shouldn't threaten us by taking away the negative comments.

I dont think we make any threats at all? We could say "well if you leave us a negative review we will ban you from the forums". But we dont.

You should be listening.

We do listen, but on the flip side how many times do you think we get reviews from accounts that have quite literally 1 review to their profile, purely to post a revenge review. And how many times do you think those reviews are justified?

Further, how many of those actually go and delete the review after any such "problem" is sorted?

Not to mention all the ones we get because a site is using our software and people think XenForo=Site Owners/Admins.

Likewise 1 person leaving multiple reviews on the same topic/complaint.

Unfortunately, trustpilot is an absolute mess for small businesses to use and is heavily favoured towards businesses who sign up to their paid packages (disclosure, we dont). When we get questionable or unknown review we have 3 buttons to push, with next to no information available to us. The initial report for us to find out if it is a genuine customer or not if we dont think it is, doesnt even get reviewed by a person anymore, it is totally automated.

For those not on paid packages like us, we have to work 10x harder for every positive review than every negative one.

 

[Suzanne O]

I dont think we make any threats at all? We could say "well if you leave us a negative review we will ban you from the forums". But we dont.



We do listen, but on the flip side how many times do you think we get reviews from accounts that have quite literally 1 review to their profile, purely to post a revenge review. And how many times do you think those reviews are justified?

Further, how many of those actually go and delete the review after any such "problem" is sorted?

Unfortunately, trustpilot is an absolute mess for small businesses to use and is heavily favoured towards businesses who sign up to their paid packages (disclosure, we dont). When we get questionable or unknown review we have 3 buttons to push, with next to no information available to us. The initial report for us to find out if it is a genuine customer or not if we dont think it is, doesnt even get reviewed by a person anymore, it is totally automated.

For those not on paid packages like us, we have to work 10x harder for every positive review than every negative one.

Maybe have your own review system.
Add it to your contact us section and get us to review your site and the way how everyone conducts themselves.
If trustpilot is trashy then scrap the system in favour of your own.

I received an email telling me to add more info or have my review taken down. That's the threat i'm talking about. That's what i mean when that system that you've put your trust into isn't working. You said it yourself that it's a mess.

So scrap it yourself and have some visual basic coded up review system on your contact us section.

Make it better than the one you went with.

Or better still if you want something better go with product review a bit like what most places use for their own sites and software.

When i get a phone call or some sort of help from my isp i will get an email asking me how did the rep who contacted me go.

What you could do is something similar. For example (i've used you as the person helping)
email the client asking how did slavik go with helping you solve your problem?

Rate them out of 5

Then allow them to make more of a comment.

 

[Slavik]

For those wondering, this is what we get to "manage" our reviews.



When the request is made, if someone replies they can just put junk in there and all we get is whatever the person replies with, more often than not its junk and doesnt help, so we can then use the little flag icon to mark it as sus.

 

[Slavik]

If trustpilot is trashy then scrap the system in favour of your own.

Unfortunately they have an absolute monopoly in this market, and trust me, if it were possible to "delist" ourselves and never have to deal with that company ever again, id be in the car tonight to Kiers house and kick down his door to make it happen.

i will get an email asking me how did the rep who contacted me go.

This is something we are looking into implementing, however all of trustpilots automation and website integrations to do this are, shocker, on their paid plans. So it is something we will have to design and implement ourselves.

 

[Suzanne O]

Unfortunately they have an absolute monopoly in this market, and trust me, if it were possible to "delist" ourselves and never have to deal with that company ever again, id be in the car tonight to Kiers house and kick down his door to make it happen.



This is something we are looking into implementing, however all of trustpilots automation and website integrations to do this are, shocker, on their paid plans.

If you do it yourself then you can implement it as part of your software then everyone has the same thing.

Imagine everyone having their review system of their forum.

All built in and not having to worry about the shocking ones that are out there and are real trashy.

 

[zappaDPJ]

On reviews where we had reason to believe they weren't genuine but then found out that they were, I don't believe we are able to do anything further.

The initial report for us to find out if it is a genuine customer or not if we dont think it is, doesnt even get reviewed by a person anymore, it is totally automated.

Both those statements seem a little at odds with how TrustPilot operates or perhaps they have changed their terms of use? It used to be that if a business or TrustPilot member challenged a review it would be flagged for the reviewer to provide proof of purchase. Once proved the review would be reinstated providing it was still written within their terms of use.

Some years ago another well known forum developer attempted to game the system by giving their employees a copy of their latest failure for review which overnight turned a one star company into a five star success. It was easy enough to have all those reviews removed based on the method detailed above.

It seems a little odd to me that the burden of proof now lies within the business's remit and not the reviewer.

 

[Suzanne O]

Both those statements seem a little at odds with how TrustPilot operates or perhaps they have changed their terms of use? It used to be that if a business or TrustPilot member challenged a review it would be flagged for the reviewer to provide proof of purchase. Once proved the review would be reinstated providing it was still written within their terms of use.

Some years ago another well known forum developer attempted to game the system by giving their employees a copy of their latest failure for review which overnight turned a one star company into a five star success. It was easy enough to have all those reviews removed based on the method detailed above.

It seems a little odd to me that the burden of proof now lies within the business's remit and not the reviewer.

The problem is when you look at going with somebody like Trustpilot you have a set of terms and conditions you have to go by which may stuff your forum up if you have nothing but negative reviews on it.

Imagine you having it on your forum somebody reviews your site and they tell you how much they hate it. (a bit like a few people who have done so on here in the past). They hate it because they think the admin (you) is some sort of party animal. (as an example)

What you can do there is block that person.

What trustpilot does is sends out a generic email telling the negative person to add more info or they will flag it.

 

[zappaDPJ]

Incidentally after pressing 'Post reply' my post above disappear completely. Normally navigating back would have repopulated the editor but it didn't. It did however eventually reappear after navigating forward and refreshing the page.

 

[Chris D]

This is a bug we're aware of I believe

 

[Suzanne O]

What xenforo can do is easily have their own built in review system. Especially if trustpilot is too negative.

That way we all have to go by the same terms and conditions that are done on here.

 

[MentaL]

What xenforo can do is easily have their own built in review system. Especially if trustpilot is too negative.

That way we all have to go by the same terms and conditions that are done on here.

You want them to hijack a market?

 

[Suzanne O]

You want them to hijack a market?

No. I want them to have their own built in review system instead of using some expensive trashy review system that buggers everyone up.
Try trustpilot yourself mate. If you have anything negative to say they wipe your comments

 

[RobinHood]

Both those statements seem a little at odds with how TrustPilot operates or perhaps they have changed their terms of use? It used to be that if a business or TrustPilot member challenged a review it would be flagged for the reviewer to provide proof of purchase. Once proved the review would be reinstated providing it was still written within their terms of use.

I had to do with when I left a 1 Star review for Bulk.com. From what I recall it felt like my review was going to be removed unless I could prove my purchase within a few days, which I was able to do.

They funny thing is, I only went searching for a 3rd party review platform to leave a review because they had already deleted a different review on their own on site review system for a particular supplement that I had bought. I think I was able to prove this too as I had the confirmation emails from my original review for the supplement.