To worry about repercussions from leaving bad reviews

[worrier77]

Does anyone else ever worry that leaving bad reviews on platforms like Amazon etc could lead to repercussions?

I've occasionally had disappointing experiences when buying an item online or visiting a pub/restaurant. If the issue is resolved by the seller or venue at the time then I would never leave a poor review, as I don't think that's fair.

However, on the rare occasions where they don't show any interest in attempting to resolve the situation, then I've been tempted to leave an honest review of my experience online to warn other customers.

However, what worries me is that these people know where I live and if they felt aggrieved by a bad review, they could retaliate in some shape or form.

Am I being completely paranoid or is this a legitimate worry?

That's paranoid. Sorry

You're being ridiculous. Are you generally a paranoid person?

That's paranoid. Sorry

Thanks for the honesty! I'm a highly anxious person at the best of times so thought it might be.

Yeah that’s a really odd thing to worry about.

@FrankButchersDickieBow I'd say I'm more anxious than paranoid (despite using the word paranoid in my OP!)

For Amazon transaction gone wrong, I’d leave an honest review. Same for any business where I have transacted on line snd in the review, I’d also indicate what I’d done to try to rectify the situation with the seller.

I have, however, not given a check a trade review for a poor (very poor) job done by a plumber installing a new bathroom. Because I was worried about come back. Really torn about that because I don’t want others to experience what we did but I was very worried about come back. When his name has popped up on local FB pages, I have messaged people with photos of his botched job simply saying this was the work he did for me.

If you are concerned, keep records so in the unlikely event of any comeback you have the evidence to call the police immediately.

Very unlikely to happen but unfortunately it did in this case.

www.bbc.com/news/uk-Scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-35128139

[quote Ianrankinfan]Very unlikely to happen but unfortunately it did in this case.

www.bbc.com/news/uk-Scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-35128139[/quote]
Well that's one in a trillion. Anything can happen after anything.
Thousand people cross the road ok, thpusand and one one gets hit by a crazy car driver.

I would’ve said you were being ridiculous until I left feedback for a chain restaurant a few weeks ago where I had an absolutely awful experience. I did this by using their online feedback page on the website so didn’t think much would come of it. Obviously had to give my number and email so they could contact me back if necessary.

I got a call from a random mobile number about a week later. It was the waitress who’d served us that day! I couldn’t believe they’d given her my number. The head office had passed it on to the manager to give me a call and she’d given it to the waitress so she could apologise. Did feel a bit knowing that a random woman who I’d made a complaint about now has my contact details!

Looks like the link didn’t work ... an author travelled 440 miles to Scotland and attacked a teenager who gave his book a bad review. He used her Twitter and online accounts to track her down and smashed a bottle over her head .

But would like to add she was very apologetic and acknowledged that our whole meal had gone to shit so really what more can I ask for

Nothing like as bad as the incident Ianrankinfan described but I was trolled by an author in similar circumstances. Self-publishers especially can be batshit.

I've also had a company contact me and ask to remove a product review, trying to guilt me that they were a small business blah blah. I didn't remove it.

@atleastitswarm

I would’ve said you were being ridiculous until I left feedback for a chain restaurant a few weeks ago where I had an absolutely awful experience. I did this by using their online feedback page on the website so didn’t think much would come of it. Obviously had to give my number and email so they could contact me back if necessary.

I got a call from a random mobile number about a week later. It was the waitress who’d served us that day! I couldn’t believe they’d given her my number. The head office had passed it on to the manager to give me a call and she’d given it to the waitress so she could apologise. Did feel a bit knowing that a random woman who I’d made a complaint about now has my contact details!

I would totally complain about the number being passed on

As long as you are fair they won't retaliate, or at least its very unlikely.
I've had instances where I have done something wrong as a business, which with the best will in the world is inevitable, but the customer approached me and I "made good" the issue. The only genuine bad review I have had was when a customer kept quiet and then used reviews to complain about something I was not given the opportunity to fix or explain. Its difficult because when customers make a complaint publically I have to respond publicly but in a way that doesn't give too much information away about my customer! If however people give an inaccurate complaint or false complaint then I don't pull punches in terms of responding in writing - I can't afford to.
Be careful @NewNeighboursRequest, private messaging could get you into more trouble than going through the formal channels. I've seen fake recommendation set ups on local FB pages to advertise friend's businesses. Friend of Joe Bloggs will ask "does anyone know a good xxxx" another friend of Joe Bloggs will reply to highly recommend Joe Bloggs.

I give honest review's no matter if it's good or bad.
If they don't like the bad reviews tough shit, they should just take it and learn from it.

I wonder if the person would have been given your number if you had nice things to say.

I once left a bad review on Trip Advisor. I wasn't hyper-critical. Just factual and honest. The owner of the business then sent me an angry message demanding that I remove it. There was no way he could identify me so real-life repercussions were never on the cards but it still left me a bit shaken. So I do understand your concern.

(I reported him to Trip Advisor. I don't think they did anything, but last time I looked, his business had shut down so I don't think I was the only dissatisfied customer!)

I’ve had lovely times off the back of some bad (but honest) Tripadvisor reviews. When I left a review at a newly opened bar and restaurant (I did give them a chance to fix it at the time but the waitress wasn’t interested) I was invited back for a free dinner and drinks with a partner to review again with a good review and take the old one down. It was fab. Have been offered the same at Franca Manca and a local coffee place too.

I don't post public reviews in my real name for this reason. I think people are incredibly trusting with how much they say on social media, I keep my head down.

I worry that even if you don’t post under your real name, the seller/venue can probably easily work out who you are from the specific circumstances.

@worrier77

I worry that even if you don’t post under your real name, the seller/venue can probably easily work out who you are from the specific circumstances.

I think if you feel worried about that, you can just not post too many details, make it a bit vaguer.

But you don't have to post a review at all. There are many people who never complain due to feeling uncomfortable.

I grew up with parents who always fought the good fight. I saw them get into difficult situations. I used to do battle myself, now I often keep my head down.

There is no law that says you have to complain all the time. A lot of life is disappointing. I just don;t go back to crap restaurants, that is enough for me.

@Ianrankinfan I know that’s true - but if I’ve been treated badly then don’t complain, I beat myself up for being a doormat!

really you need to pick one side or the other (complainer or zen) and then try to be happy with it!

I left a factual review about a tradesperson who failed to turn up twice, with no reason given. He messaged me via FB and accused me of trying to ruin his business. He was such a dick.

I messaged back and said that he had wasted 5 hours of my time when he couldn’t be arsed to show up and never bothered to phone me, so crack on and ruin your own business. I then blocked him.

@atleastitswarm

I would’ve said you were being ridiculous until I left feedback for a chain restaurant a few weeks ago where I had an absolutely awful experience. I did this by using their online feedback page on the website so didn’t think much would come of it. Obviously had to give my number and email so they could contact me back if necessary.

I got a call from a random mobile number about a week later. It was the waitress who’d served us that day! I couldn’t believe they’d given her my number. The head office had passed it on to the manager to give me a call and she’d given it to the waitress so she could apologise. Did feel a bit knowing that a random woman who I’d made a complaint about now has my contact details!

I wonder if that could be reported for a GDPR breech?