Apple Pulls Reviews From Online Store Product Listings

[pcorrado]

I found most reviews to be useless for me anyway - many are fake (usually the good ones), many are too personal to the user experience to be relevant to me (most of the really bad ones), the few good ones don’t provide enough details.

what do I do? I buy it and try it out. If I don’t like it - I return it. At least Apple is good about that.

 

[now i see it]

It won't accomplish anything. Amazon is just a click away and the vitriol over Apple accessories is alive and well there

 

[cale508]

It seem like if "Apple lovers" are smart enough to know that a product review is from an Apple hater, then they'd also be smart enough to disregard those reviews, no?

Nope, I don't disregard negative reviews, and neither should people. I actually read them first. I would like to know people's experiences and what to expect from the product. Of course I read the positives too, but for me I read the reasons not to buy it first (I am an impulsive buyer ).

 

[PickUrPoison]

A bold move, this really takes courage.

True. Nailed it.

Apple knows the hate-crowd will pile on and have a field day with this. This thread is proof of that, isn’t it?

 

[DevNull0]

Way to go Timmy. Got to keep up the image that everything is well, and Apple is as beloved and infallible as ever somehow. This will make sure nobody notices you're turning your fanbase against you. Take another $100 million out of petty cash and buy yourself something nice. You earned it.

 

[Menneisyys2]

I have never had an Apple cable fail on me in 10 years.Most of the failures are down to the users mis handling them.

Oh yes, suuuuure. I'm an engineer and can certainly handle for example Lightning cables properly. Nevertheless, of the appr. 11-12 Lightning cables I have (all genuine Apple products coming with iPhones, iPads etc. I'e purchased since 2012), about 3 developed the usual "seal completely broken at the Lightning end" problem. Again, I've always handled my cables properly also because of their high price.

 

[tbayrgs]

You have the right to say it, but Apple doesn’t have the obligation of providing you with a platform for that. You can write it on your Facebook or Twitter or start a website with user ratings for Apple products.

This ^. The reliability of online user reviews across the Internet is dubious at best.

Anybody critical of this move visit the online stores of Google and Samsung lately, 2 of Apple’s biggest competitors? Guess what they don’t have on their sites either.

 

[jakeowens]

I'm not surprised by this. There are TONS of negative reviews on their products from people that haven't even bought the products to try them. The week leading up to the Airpod Pros had lots of negative reviews even though they weren't in the hands of consumers yet. Why go out of your way to negatively review things that you don't even want but others do. They were filled with opinions... save those for macrumor forums haha

 

[code-m]

Begining to lose patience with Apple. we have the right to say if we dislike a product!. but all Tim clearly thinks about is the money in his wallet.

Too soon to say exactly what is occurring, maybe a revamp to the comment/review section is being tested and implemented. Not sure, I just find people jumping to conclusions way too quickly. Not taking sides just saying give it a day or three to see if this is intentional or not.

 

[Menneisyys2]

Whenever I had to exchange a broken lightning cable, smart battery case, or MagSafe charger, they’d always comment how they had never seen this happen before.

They're instructed by Apple to plainly lie. Even their vocabulary they may use to refer to problems, bugs etc. is strictly controlled by Apple - remember the "allowed words" news?

 

[norm2816]

send in the bots..

 

[turbineseaplane]

Why not just limit the reviews to verified product owners who purchased directly from Apple online.

Because that won't necessarily fix the bad review problem.

Folks - Apple does make questionable quality things sometimes, and they charge high prices for them to boot.

 

[fhopper]

My Apple Fan Boy status goes back to '86 and the llGS. I worked in the Apple Business as a Product Manager for a big player back when Apple allowed Developers to become big players... but honestly in my gut I feel more affinity to Amazon now; much as I have moved on from Sony TVs to Samsung. Now matter how much I loved a Company I still respond tp products and service and Apple is limping along... very much like Sony. I am not surprised by poor reviews.

 

[code-m]

Amazon ratings reviews are almost useless at this point. The “verified purchaser” badge helps but you’ve basically got to spend 10-15 minutes reading and analyzing, looking at date posted, etc. Anyone who goes by star ratings is being misled.

You do realize that Amazon has a filter for "verified purchasers" and are aware and working out a solution. These things don't happen overnight. Not taking sides, just saying it seems misleading about the Amazon comment taking 10-15 mins when there is a filter in place for what one seeks.

 

[ericwn]

Begining to lose patience with Apple. we have the right to say if we dislike a product!. but all Tim clearly thinks about is the money in his wallet.

I’m sure nobody disputes that but they may ask themselves if their own store is a place for your criticism. The net provides plenty other opportunities to review products.

 

[newyorksole]

At least the question and answers section is still there. The reviews helped me when purchasing an SSD, but other websites have reviews so oh well.

 

[DevNull0]

A bold move, this really takes courage.

Paraphrasing from SW: A New Hope:

"The more you tighten your grip, [Timmy], the more [customers] will slip through your fingers."

Timmy is the courageous Palpatine, and Apple is the Empire. That is more true every day.
Eddie wants to be Darth Vader, but he's more like Dark Helmet from Spaceballs.

 

[RamGuy]

Seems like a rather stupid move. But at the same time the amount of "review bombing" that is going on these days is insane. When reading reviews about anything it seems like there is nothing that exists between something being utterly trash or the best thing that has ever happened to humanity.

90% of reviews are either 1 star or 4,5-5 stars. It has become rather useless and many times you read reviews that is not even relevant to the product at all. People go in and leave a 1 star review because of something completely different they didn't like about the company. Like come on?

 

[az431]

Watch Apple claim this was a bug to hide the fact that many people leave negative reviews on their products (mainly cables and other accessories which have dreadful longevity, not to mention being overpriced).

Do you also believe the Moon landing was staged and that Australia doesn't exist?

 

[code-m]

What about after the release? What do you do about all the fake 1-star reviews for AirPods—a product that has tens of millions of satisfied users?

I like the APP, however even the small does not fit my ears, it is a great product that needs additional in-ear tips. I would probably give it a 4 out of 5 on Apples official website or Amazon for that matter. Yes, I own a pair, maybe an attitude readjustment. Some people do have legitimate concerns for their specific rating, its their hard earned money going to a product and they pretty much purchased their review.

 

[az431]

Seems like a rather stupid move. But at the same time the amount of "review bombing" that is going on these days is insane. When reading reviews about anything it seems like there is nothing that exists between something being utterly trash or the best thing that has ever happened to humanity.

90% of reviews are either 1 star or 4,5-5 stars. It has become rather useless and many times you read reviews that is not even relevant to the product at all. People go in and leave a 1 star review because of something completely different they didn't like about the company. Like come on?

Stupid is judging something without knowing any facts.

 

[QCassidy352]

I have never had an Apple cable fail on me in 10 years.Most of the failures are down to the users mis handling them.

Not I, in 12 years. I guess I’m lucky.

 

[Expos of 1969]

Too soon to say exactly what is occurring, maybe a revamp to the comment/review section is being tested and implemented. Not sure, I just find people jumping to conclusions way too quickly. Not taking sides just saying give it a day or three to see if this is intentional or not.

Perhaps, but why not communicate what is happening? Honest and prompt information is one of the basic tenets of well executed PR but this seems to be a foreign concept to Cook. Sad....sad....

 

[Bandaman]

Well that's pretty lame.

 

[iMi]

How much would it cost to address the issues raised in reviews? Millions of dollars, Mr. Cook. Hmm... how much would it take to remove the reviews? Interns will do it for free.

Sold.