On our website, we display reviews collected through Trusted Shops. But how does a review actually come about? And what influence does BARFmenu itself have on the process?
We could of course tell you ourselves that our reviews are trustworthy, but that does not give you much to verify as a visitor. We would rather explain how the review system works and what checks Trusted Shops applies. That way, you can check for yourself how our customer reviews are created.
A verified review at Trusted Shops is linked to an actual purchase or experience.
After an order, a customer may be invited through the Trusted Shops system to leave a review. Trusted Shops uses technical measures to ensure that review invitations are sent to email addresses that were actually used to make a purchase or obtain a service.
The link in the invitation allows the relevant purchase to be reviewed. When a consumer reviews an order through a personal Trusted Shops account, technical checks are also used to ensure that only registered purchases can be reviewed.
Source: Trusted Shops – Information about the Trusted Shops Trustmark and Trusted Shops reviews
Trusted Shops marks reviews for which verification measures have been applied as 'verified' or '#trstd'.
For these reviews, Trusted Shops uses various technical measures to link the review to an actual purchase or service. This includes the use of the email address and additional reference data.
Trusted Shops also uses automated checks to identify possible fake reviews. Data such as email addresses and IP addresses are analysed. If anomalies are detected, a review may be removed automatically or forwarded to the Trusted Shops Review Service team for manual review.
Source: Trusted Shops – Verification and authenticity of reviews
The checks do not consist solely of automated systems. Trusted Shops also carries out manual reviews where there is reason to do so.
Reviews cannot be submitted completely anonymously to Trusted Shops. The email address used for the purchase can serve as a verifiable reference.
If there are indications that a review may not be based on a genuine experience, Trusted Shops can request proof of the purchase or use of the service. If this cannot be demonstrated, the review is removed.
Source: Trusted Shops – Measures for verifying reviews
No. Trusted Shops' terms prohibit participating companies from using the review system in an unfair or fraudulent manner.
This includes writing positive reviews themselves or instructing third parties to write them in order to create a misleading impression of quality.
BARFmenu may also not offer customers benefits, special conditions, discounts or other incentives with the aim of obtaining a positive review or having a negative review withdrawn.
Source: Trusted Shops – Membership Terms, sections C2.1 and C2.5
When BARFmenu uses the Trusted Shops system to ask customers by email for a review, rules apply.
According to the membership terms, customers must be asked for a review in the same way. It is therefore not permitted to select only customers who are expected to leave a positive review. The terms specify: all customers or none.
The review request itself must also be worded neutrally, regardless of whether a positive or negative review is expected.
Source: Trusted Shops – Membership Terms, section C2.8
No, not by itself.
BARFmenu can report a review to Trusted Shops if we believe it breaches the applicable rules, for example if there are indications that a review is not genuine or its content is not permitted.
Trusted Shops then reviews the report and determines whether there is a valid reason to remove the review. A negative review in itself is not a reason for removal.
The terms also prohibit BARFmenu from using threats, aggressive behaviour, benefits, discounts or other incentives to try to have a review changed or withdrawn.
Source: Trusted Shops – How to respond appropriately to a negative review
Source: Trusted Shops – Membership Terms, sections C2.1 to C2.5
No. Trusted Shops distinguishes between verified reviews and imported reviews.
Imported reviews may, for example, originate from another review system. For these reviews, Trusted Shops cannot itself guarantee or verify that they come exclusively from consumers who actually purchased or used the product or service. They are therefore marked as imported and unverified.
For paying Trusted Shops business members, only verified reviews are included in the calculation of the Trusted Shops overall score. Imported reviews are not included in this overall score.
Source: Trusted Shops – Information about the authenticity of reviews
We would not make that claim on behalf of Trusted Shops.
What we can show is how the system is designed to combat fake reviews.
For verified reviews, Trusted Shops uses technical measures to link the review to a purchase. Automated checks are also carried out, reviews can be checked manually, and proof of a purchase or experience may be requested.
In addition, participating companies are subject to rules prohibiting manipulation of the review system.
That is the mechanism behind the verified reviews collected through Trusted Shops.
Source: Trusted Shops – How does Trusted Shops ensure that reviews are genuine?
You do not have to rely solely on BARFmenu for the information above. Trusted Shops itself publishes how reviews are collected and verified, which technical and manual checks are applied, and which rules apply to companies using the review system.
Below are the official sources used for this explanation:
