A row of gold stars next to your business name does a lot of quiet work. It can decide whether a stranger clicks through or keeps scrolling. That makes it tempting to polish the numbers.
In Australia, polishing them the wrong way can put you on the wrong side of consumer law. The rules are clearer than many owners expect. Knowing where the line sits is part of running an honest online business.
What the law says about online reviews
Reviews are covered by the Australian Consumer Law. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) enforces it. Its guidance for small business is plain. Reviews must be genuine and must come from people who actually used the product or service.
The ACCC also says it is against the law to post fake or misleading reviews, even as a favour to friends or family. That catches a lot of well meaning behaviour. A cousin who has never bought from you cannot write a glowing review on your behalf. You can read the regulator’s own wording on its page about online reviews being genuine.
The same guidance says businesses and review platforms that do not remove reviews they know to be fake risk breaching the law. Leaving a known fake review in place is a risk in itself. Act on it as soon as you find out.
What businesses should avoid
The ACCC lists several practices that cause trouble. Most of them are easy to slip into without meaning to. Read through them before you send your next review request.
- Asking family, friends or third parties to write reviews without clearly disclosing their connection to your business.
- Offering a reward only for positive reviews, or hiding the incentive.
- Editing genuine reviews or removing the ones you dislike.
- Showing star ratings that suggest they reflect real customer feedback when they do not.
Notice the third point. Deleting an honest but unflattering review can be a problem in its own right. A page that shows only praise tells the reader a story that may not be true.
A real case worth knowing about
The ACCC points to an action against Bloomex, an online florist and gift retailer. It had published misleading star ratings and inflated strikethrough prices. It also disclosed extra surcharges too late in the checkout.
After ACCC action, the Federal Court ordered Bloomex to pay $1 million in penalties for false or misleading representations about online reviews and pricing. The lesson reaches beyond reviews. Ratings, pricing and checkout costs are all part of the same picture. A customer should be able to trust each of them.
Collecting reviews the right way
Genuine reviews are still worth chasing. The trick is to ask in a way that keeps the feedback honest. A simple, consistent process helps.
Ask every customer, including the ones who may have a complaint. Send the request soon after the job or purchase, while the experience is fresh. Keep the message short and neutral. Do not pressure anyone to give five stars.
If you do offer a thank you for taking part, make it available for any honest review, positive or negative. Say so prominently in your request. A reward that depends on a positive score is the kind of thing the ACCC warns about.
Handling a bad or fake review
Every business gets a harsh review sooner or later. Some are fair and some are not. Treat them differently.
For a genuine complaint, reply politely and stick to the facts. Offer to fix the problem if you can. A calm response often says more about your business than the review does.
For a review you believe is fake, the ACCC advice is to notify the review platform straight away and ask for its removal. You can then respond professionally to correct the public record. Do not respond by posting fake praise of your own.
Keeping your own records
Good records protect you. Keep a simple log of how each review request went out and what you said. Note any thank you offer and who could claim it.
If someone ever questions a review on your site, you can show where it came from. That takes the heat out of a dispute quickly. It also helps new staff follow the same process without guessing.
Review your site every few months. Check that testimonials are still real and still relevant. Remove anything you cannot trace back to a genuine customer.
Why honesty is the better long game
A fake review might lift your score for a week. It will not build a business. Customers can usually tell when every comment sounds the same.
A modest star average with detailed, believable comments often reads better than a perfect score with none. Real feedback also shows you what to fix. That is something invented praise can never do.
Where reviews fit on your website
Many sites display reviews or testimonials on the home page or on product pages. Use only reviews that are real, and keep the ratings you show honest. If you summarise your reviews with a star average, it should reflect the feedback you have actually received.
Reviews work best alongside clear product information. Good product images and descriptions help a visitor decide, and honest feedback backs that up. If visitors leave quickly, look at your bounce rate to see whether the page is answering their questions.
Your offline presence should match too. If you promote a five star reputation on your shopfront, your business signs should not claim more than your reviews can back up. A clear, truthful elevator pitch does the same job in conversation.
A short checklist before you publish
Before you post a testimonial or a rating, ask yourself a few plain questions. Did this person really buy from us, and is the review in their own words? Have we disclosed any link between us and the reviewer? Are we showing the bad with the good? If the answer to any of these is no, leave it off the page.
Frequently asked questions
Can I ask a friend to leave me a review?
The ACCC says posting fake or misleading reviews is against the law, even as a favour. If the friend has genuinely used your service, any connection should be clearly disclosed. Keep the review in their own words.
Can I delete a negative review from my own website?
The ACCC lists selectively editing or removing genuine reviews as a practice to avoid. If a review is fake, report it to the platform instead. You can also reply calmly to set the record straight.
Can I offer a discount for leaving a review?
Be careful. Incentives that apply only to positive reviews, or that are not disclosed prominently, are a concern. An offer open to any honest review, clearly stated, is a safer approach.
Does this only apply to big companies?
The ACCC publishes this guidance in its small business toolkit. The Australian Consumer Law applies to businesses of all sizes. A sole trader with a handful of reviews should follow the same rules.
This article is general information only and is not legal advice. Laws and processes change and can differ between states and territories. Speak with a qualified lawyer about your own situation.
