TripAdvisor

[Simon]

Has anyone had problems with a negative review on TripAdvisor that contains factually incorrect information?

I have contacted TripAdvisor directly via their email form and also filled in and posted their "defamatory statement" form on their website. I have also contacted the reviewer directly (as in this case I know who it is) and they are being difficult in editing removing the review.

I don't have a problem the the negative review as such (although obviously I would rather it wasn't there!), but with some specific factually incorrect and therefore defamatory statements.

Any thoughts on what further action might be possible?

[474wendyb]

I don't know about your negative review issue as such, but I am having problems as Trip Advisor seem to think I'm the owner of a property on the site, but it's not mine. I've subsequently contacted the owner and we wonder if there is a problem with Trip Advisor's email database. I have tried numerous ways of contacting Trip Advisor about this but to no avail. To me Trip Advisor is an American focused and confusing site. Is there anyone out there who things we need a UK site that can offer us what we want?

[_Sharpe]

You could correct the information in your Management Response to the review.

[Raincliffe1]

In a word 'yes'. After naively thinking that TripAdvisor was a site that carried genuine reviews, we had 2 completely fake reviews go onto our listing on the same day with the exact negative score (which we have never had), in the same general tone, same poor spelling and non complicated grammar. I had no recollection whatsoever of these ‘customers’ and I have personal contact with EVERY customer through my door. I realized that these were not customers of ours due to the ‘supposed’ date of stay and basically that every customer we had had during that month was ongoing contracts and repeats.
After 50-60 emails and completing the notice of defamatory content, TripAdvisor removed one of the reviews, but with hindsight I think this was only done so the other ‘review’ did not look so suspect. I asked TripAdvisor numerous times to confirm the 4 digit receipt number from us that these ‘reviewers’ would have in their possession – NOTHING – can’t think why! Have a look on our review site you will see the review and yes it contains factually incorrect information which is actually damaging to our competitors too. It states that we are 45 minutes walk from the seafront/town centre which is totally incorrect, anyone with any sense would consult a map and read off the scale (it’s actually 10 minutes). Our competitors who are further away from the amenities than us also state in their advertising that they are 10 minutes from the seafront (when in fact they are marginally more but certainly not 45 minutes) – so this review is leading people to believe that all businesses on our road are lying to their potential customers.
As for even removing factually incorrect statements in reviews, in my opinion TripAdvisor are not interested no matter how often you tell them. I guess you have to learn from experience. I tell my guests not to take too much notice of TripAdvisor but judge for themselves after they have left as I know that this website can be exploited.
Katherine

[SomersetCider]

We had a different problem with TripAdvisor - a guest did a great review of us - mentioning us both by name - which was put on to a different property! I contacted TripAdvisor about this, also the person who did the review - I'd guessed who it was - in case TripAdvisor thought we were trying to claim somebody else's review. The upshot is that the review was removed from the other property's page but has never appeared on ours...