Q&A: Can you trust online ratings in the age of 'review bombing'?

Before purchasing a product, reserving a hotel room, or streaming a movie, many individuals consult online reviews. However, not every glowing recommendation or one-star critique accurately reflects an authentic customer experience. David Schuff, a professor at the University of Virginia's McIntire School of Commerce, explores how online review platforms influence consumer behavior.

In a July commentary in Nature Human Behaviour, co-authored with Susan Mudambi, a professor emeritus of marketing at Temple University, they investigate the emergence of "review bombing" and its consequences for consumers and online platforms. Schuff delves into the reasons behind its increasing prevalence, its potential to undermine trust in reviews, and what consumers should consider when making a purchase.

The rise of online reviews has created an integral part of our daily lives, shaping our decisions about which products to buy, which movies to watch, or which restaurants to visit. However, we have observed people using these review platforms in unanticipated ways that are not primarily focused on evaluating product quality. This phenomenon is referred to as "review platform appropriation."

Some individuals engage in this behavior in a performative manner, often leaving humorous, absurd, or extreme reviews about everyday items or politically charged movies. Entertainment products, such as movies, television shows, and video games, are frequent targets of review bombing. These products often have large, devoted fan bases and can be part of a franchise, making them particularly susceptible to strong reactions when expectations are not met.

While some review-bombed movies, like "The Odyssey," "Star Wars: The Last Jedi," and "Marvel's She-Hulk," have still performed well, others, like video games, have experienced more significant impacts. For instance, Sony dropped its requirement for players to create a PlayStation Network account to play "Helldivers 2" following a coordinated campaign of negative reviews aimed at the company's policy.

Despite these efforts, the real effects of review bombing may lie in the review platforms themselves, potentially leading to a loss of trust in their reliability as sources of information.