We need to stop taking into account Amazon reviews for a very simple, but still little-known, reason.

While many Internet users still take time to read Amazon reviews before making a purchase, UFC-Que-Choisir warns about its latest.

Amazon has acquired a solid reputation in its field over the years. Jeff Bezos' empire has become, over time, a reference in terms of online shopping sites and platforms. It must be said that Amazon did not become what it is today in just a few days. Year after year, the site has been enriched with many features that are very much appreciated by Internet users.

One of these features has recently been in the news, but not in the best way. The UFC-Que-Choisir institute has in fact criticized the famous user reviews that are often found on the product pages displayed on the site. According to the UFC, a large proportion of these reviews are simply false, or even illegal.

Amazon reviews are a great idea on paper. Once you order a product, and received, Internet users can leave their opinion on the latter, as well as the delivery provided by Amazon or a partner company. This allows other Internet users to ensure that a product that interests them is really interesting and corresponds to their selection criteria.

However, Amazon reviews are full of fake users or biased opinions. The UFC-Que-Choisir website has collected testimonies from several people who received a strange flyer following an order placed on Amazon. These independent sellers promise their customers vouchers or gift cards worth several dozen euros in exchange for a rating of 5 stars out of 5 on their order. In short: they buy reviews on the Amazon website.

This technique is not new. At the editorial office, we ourselves have already obtained such a coupon several years ago. Amazon says it is actively fighting against this practice, which generally leads to sanctions against independent sellers who buy and distribute gift cards and vouchers. Unfortunately, these same cards usually require that reviews do not mention the gift received. As a result, many Amazon reviews are faked and only provided in exchange for vouchers for users.

So don't be surprised if, when ordering an item on Amazon, it comes with a small gift worth 10, 20 or 30 euros in exchange for a 5-star review on the product page. It is up to you to complete this transaction or not, but users do not risk any penalties from Amazon.