Fake reviews are a plague and hard to counter.

Even if purchases are verified, it is not hard to fake – pay them back and don’t deliver the product.

So the first step is to accept that fake reviews cannot be stopped.

The problem is not fake reviews – it is a lack of honest reviews. Fake reviews are highly motivated, while honest ones are not. Because people look at the average rating, the ratio is what matters.

So how can we encourage honest reviews? With cash of course.

A) Discount. People who give a positive review (4 or more) get a discount on future purchases. This has zero value to anyone who has no desire to eat/shop there again. But it encourages honest reviews.

B) Commission. If you purchase and a social friend left a positive review, they get a commission. If there is more than one friend, they split it.

Both models provide the business with extra sales. Both create a culture of reviews. Neither benefit fake reviewers. Honest reviews will outnumber fake reviews… at least the mix would be a lot better than today.