We recommend that consumers and businesses report any of the following customer review or testimonial issues to the ACCC if there is evidence that these issues have resulted in misleading the general public in their decision making process.
- Incentive programs by either the review website itself or the business being reviewed that may have resulted in the content of a review being unduly influenced.
- A business that reaches an agreement with the consumer that an incentive or discount may be applicable to their next purchase.
- Employees, sales agents or contractors of a business who provide or offer incentives during the sales process with the intent purpose of securing a positive review.
- Paid advertising on a review website that may have resulted in the content of a review being unduly influenced.
- A review website or a business that provides assistance to the customer in the writing of the actual review that may have resulted in the content of a review being unduly influenced.
- A review website that does not require proof of purchase prior to a review being visible to the general public and that policy has resulted in the content of a review being unduly influenced.
- A review website that may have a proof of purchase policy but only applies that policy to negative reviews.
- A review website or a business that has altered the content of a customer review in any way-excluding the removal of names for privacy reasons.
- A review website or a business that has created a "fake review".
- A review website, business or consumer that uses the same IP address to submit more than one review.
Aveling Homes does not and has not engaged in any of the above examples.
The ACCC is the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission