bitflipper

jude77
I always watch for user reviews loaded with hyperbole: "This Studio Projects C1 sounds EXACTLY like a Neumann u87!!"  How many times did you read that one the web?  Or my personal favorite "This UAD plugin sounds like ass compared to Waves", or the variant, "Waves sucks compared to UAD."  When you read that stuff you know the reviewer hasn't used any of the equipment he's comparing his stuff to.

My favorite: "it was like a veil was lifted" (usually applied to audio interfaces and oxygen-free cables). Another red flag is the phrase "night and day" (usually in reference to console emulation or equalizers). "Enhanced sound stage" for speakers (I don't even know wtf that means; left is on the left and right is on the right?).
 
I think some of those writers are inspired by wine reviewers. Or worse, audiophile magazines.

The reviews for plugins on the Waves site are peppered with examples of these. 
 
Mind you, I once described ARC2 as putting a pair of contact lenses on my speakers. Hyperbole, or just plain bizarre? 

Fog
I've been on the other side of it last year, and had to take legal action against someone who was writing lies on social media,  the person in question had to pay up. Wasn't a big amount I got back, and it tied up my money for a year.. but he will think again about writing such things online, I'm sure. it's amazing the other 3-5 I wanted to go after all started deleting their comments regarding me.
 
I'm not the sort of person do hire lawyers, but it got to the point where out of principle I had to. Odd they were quick to slate me.. yet not talk about the apology.. and the ring leader even "liked" the apology,go figure.
 

 
A few years ago I had some nasty customer write a total smear job of my business because she was upset about a small surcharge on her invoice (that was perfectly legitimate and even discussed beforehand). Her entire review was a big lie from start to finish - knowing that she didn't really have anything to complain about, she simply made stuff up. Spun from whole cloth, the entire review. She also left another couple of hit and run one liners under different fake accounts. The site in question is notorious for not removing fake or slanderous reviews, and indeed I was only able to get them to remove the one liners. They said they didn't want to get into a company/customer dispute over details. 

I had to get my revenge on this scumbag somehow, so what I did was find out where this woman worked and called her boss. I told him that one of his employees was conducting a legally questionable smear campaign against me online, and that since the reviews had appeared in the middle of the afternoon it was almost certain that she was doing it from work. I pointed out to him that I intended to sue her, that stories involving companies suing reviewers usually generate media publicity, and that his company's name would be mentioned in court. He seemed pretty concerned and promised to get to the bottom of it. I just left it at that. Any outcome, from a stern ticking off to outright dismissal would have been OK with me. "Freedom of speech" is frequently cited when defending people who smear businesses with lies online, but what many people forget is how much these reviews can cost a business in revenue. Especially when said reviews cast doubt on the business owner's character and say things like "this guy is a psychopath - avoid." Something like that can cost a business revenue possibly in the tens of thousands of dollars and affect jobs. Which is why I always fight back. 
 

sharke, with regard to my "fan club" he had never bought off me.. others who were slating had got blocked for making me wait weeks for $2-4...odd they didn't disclose that in their "comments" or 2 of them weren't actually using their company names, and they were "rivals" as such.
 
what he wrote it in a place very targeted and the words I considered very malicious.. the people who tipped me off ? my regulars who are still in a few groups, I told not to let on. they couldn't understand it why folks were so horrid. Some  even still buying off me, yet joining in negative comment elsewhere and got caught out.. I told them to sling their hook.
 
I think part of it though, is the people in question wanted everything expensive for dirt cheap prices.. e.g .something I'll list for £50 ($100) that hasn't sold.. previously sold for £165 in the past.
 
I have to change tact for 2 others I want dealt with, but both have done rather self-incriminating things in words.. so made my life very easy.. one even bigged up a product I make.. then changed attitude when told I was the maker.. couldn't make it up.
 
I found it more interesting that I was pushed to take a legal route as that really isn't me, it was just words initially.
 

timidi
I'm of the opinion that 86.327% of every comment/post/review on the inter web is paid for in some manner.
(except this one)

 In one forum it has to be stated whether they are paid.

Just received another review request from amazon, and noticed it's criteria.
 
Please select a rating for the seller based on these questionsItem arrived by 19 January 2017?Item as described by the seller?Prompt and courteous service? (If you contacted the seller)5 (Excellent)4 (Good)3 (Fair)2 (Poor)1 (Awful)
 
 
Errm no, I rate the product on how capable it is at doing the job, not the quality of the purchasing process.