Has the 5-star review lost its value?

When companies incentivize five-star reviews by dangling discounts or freebies, they risk eroding trust in the whole review ecosystem. Is there a better way?

- Clara Lock

A Google score of 4.7 out of 5, amassed from around 400 reviews, is a respectable rating for any F&B joint – enough to make this picky foodie decide to give this Thai basil pork rice stall a try.

But the ruse was revealed when I visited the stall in an Ang Mo Kio coffee shop in July. Next to its brightly lit, attractively photographed menu was a sign advertising a free upsized portion in exchange for a five-star Google review.

I did not want to leave a review without trying the food, so I paid instead for my upsized portion and found it delicious.

Not all customers agreed, though, as a quick scan of the stall's Google reviews revealed. Some felt that the stall was overhyped, or that their meal was merely passable.

"I didn't do the review, so I didn't get the upsized portion. To be honest, I'm starting to lose trust in Google reviews now," wrote one patron.

This sums up a sentiment that seems to have taken root among today's consumers: Five-star reviews have become more easily obtainable – and therefore, less trustworthy.

THE PURSUIT OF FIVE STARS

There are myriad ways businesses curate a favourable online presence. Some offer a discount or freebie in exchange for a review – they may not stipulate the rating, but bank on customers feeling obligated to say something nice.

A common practice among tour guides overseas is to ask for a five-star review if guests have had a good experience. Only a perfect score will do.

I have heard multiple variations of this jest: If your rating is five stars, my name is Tom; if it is four stars, my name is Peter.

The subtext: If you aren't giving me a five-star review, don't give me one at all.

Businesses do so because user-generated content (UGC), which includes reviews, photos and videos generated by people rather than brands, is perceived as more authentic than traditional advertising.