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Customer Review Fears Come True. Belkin Worker Pays for Phony Product Praise

Written by Evan Schuman and Fred J. Aun
January 22nd, 2009
It took a long time for some retailers, such as Costco, to buy into the value of allowing customer reviews of products. Some feared alienating suppliers if customers offered overly candid comments, while others worried more about opening a Pandora's Box that could not be policed, a place where the authenticity of both positive and negative reviews could never be truly known.

A rather blatant incident that was widely reported last week (Jan. 16) involving Amazon and electronics manufacturer Belkin has sharply reinforced those fears among e-tailers. Even worse, it has the potential to shatter the confidence of online shoppers.

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