Just yesterday a new UK law came into being which “outlaws” the practice of what is known as “fake testimonials”…here is a bit about it;
The Consumer Protection Regulations, which implement the EU directive on unfair commercial practices, mark the biggest shake-up in UK consumer law for 40 years. As well as a duty for companies not to trade unfairly and to avoid misleading statements or omissions … the wide-ranging nature of the regulations mean that they will also cover issues such as fake testimonials by “customers” giving favourable reviews of products. Source: bbc.co.uk
What does this mean for online traders?
Well, almost every osCommerce and other site I see has some form of misleading communication. Whether that be claims about a product that cannot be proved or just a “made up” testimonial to try to get more buyers.
It’s pretty plain that all UK business owners need to look at each of their claims about all their products to see if any are unfair or misleading – and if they are, rectify them immediately. Of course, any “made up” testimonials or “kind words” need to be removed also.
Long story short
Don’t try to BS your customers in the hope of making more sales. If you can prove that what you convey is true and honest then great – if not, then you are in for a world of hurt with fines of upto £5000 being bandied about. If you have to BS to get more sales, then your product is not great – simple as that really.