Comments on: Paid-for Reviews to Scam the App Store – There’s a Site for That http://isource.com/2010/04/30/paid-for-reviews-to-scam-the-app-store-theres-a-site-for-that/ #1 Source for iPad, iPhone, iPod, Mac and AppleTV Sat, 04 Feb 2012 12:47:36 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=5.4.6 By: Cedric Sagne http://isource.com/2010/04/30/paid-for-reviews-to-scam-the-app-store-theres-a-site-for-that/#comment-42828 Sat, 04 Feb 2012 12:47:36 +0000 http://isource.com/iphone-app-store/paid-for-reviews-to-scam-the-app-store-theres-a-site-for-that/%20#comment-42828 There is an improvement from when people could review only after deleting the app. It was often people who were not happy with the app.

Apple should on the other hand send regular (after 2 week, then again after 2 weeks…) requests from iTunes or by email to review or at least rate.
In the case of free apps I think the counterpart to free should be compulsory review after 1 month. If the app is bad of course people will rate badly too. But I would be upset if after developing and giving away and getting 10000 dl I only got three reviews. I would accept bad reviews if my app sucks as legit feedback but at least I’d like to hear these people’s basic 1-5 star rating as a basic payment for my work.

I’m not a good rater myself, I’m the first one who should rate at least the stuff which I am very happy with.

What is incredible is that someone may review the app for fee just because they were happy with it.

]]> By: ChantelleJoy http://isource.com/2010/04/30/paid-for-reviews-to-scam-the-app-store-theres-a-site-for-that/#comment-22881 Fri, 30 Apr 2010 23:49:22 +0000 http://isource.com/iphone-app-store/paid-for-reviews-to-scam-the-app-store-theres-a-site-for-that/%20#comment-22881 As an App Reviewer (I mean, in addition to being a rabid App Fan) this is just insulting. I've had contact with lots of developers in the last couple of years and I think that most of them, hopefully, will not go for this ripoff. Lots of devs are iPhone/App fans too and MOST of them a) don't have the money to dole out for reviews b) would rather spend what money they do have on simple ads or c) want thier sites to be listed and reviewed by ethical reviewers.

As a reviewer who would NEVER ask for money from Developers (for reviews, ads or otherwise) I hope that this doesn't catch on. I'm comment/blog about this on my site, but as they say and press is good press, and I don't want to support these jerks.

Just my 2 cents.

]]> By: patrickj http://isource.com/2010/04/30/paid-for-reviews-to-scam-the-app-store-theres-a-site-for-that/#comment-22873 Fri, 30 Apr 2010 22:13:03 +0000 http://isource.com/iphone-app-store/paid-for-reviews-to-scam-the-app-store-theres-a-site-for-that/%20#comment-22873 Yeah the prices did look crazy as well for Twitter-length reviews. As for the link, debated about even including it and have now removed it.

]]> By: patrickj http://isource.com/2010/04/30/paid-for-reviews-to-scam-the-app-store-theres-a-site-for-that/#comment-22883 Fri, 30 Apr 2010 19:05:29 +0000 http://isource.com/iphone-app-store/paid-for-reviews-to-scam-the-app-store-theres-a-site-for-that/%20#comment-22883 I know how you feel – it is demoralizing to see a site like this one even exists. I totally agree that the vast majority of devs are good people and would not give these guys the time of day. Sadly though, there are likely a percentage out there who are sleazy enough to make use of this 'service'.

]]> By: patrickj http://isource.com/2010/04/30/paid-for-reviews-to-scam-the-app-store-theres-a-site-for-that/#comment-22882 Fri, 30 Apr 2010 19:02:53 +0000 http://isource.com/iphone-app-store/paid-for-reviews-to-scam-the-app-store-theres-a-site-for-that/%20#comment-22882 Lots of good points John. Those sort of ratings you mention at the top are exactly why I rarely even look at ratings anymore. Agree with you that seeing some of those stats would be very nice, and that we will never see them.

]]> By: John Steele http://isource.com/2010/04/30/paid-for-reviews-to-scam-the-app-store-theres-a-site-for-that/#comment-22879 Fri, 30 Apr 2010 17:13:47 +0000 http://isource.com/iphone-app-store/paid-for-reviews-to-scam-the-app-store-theres-a-site-for-that/%20#comment-22879 I know this occurs world web (as in the www), but I don't quite understand why reviewing is so bad in the APP store, and decent for Amazon ,or even Apple's own store on their website?

I have seen so many 5 star ratings with the comment "this app sucks". I have seen just as many "Best App EVER!!!" with a rating of 1 star.

The confusing thing for me personally is that I can review a product I've never seen on Amazon, but yet, there appears to be more control in the App store, yet more problems…

The statistics I'd love as a consumer (Apple will NEVER allow this); percentage of crashes per usage, frequency of usage, time using app both in terms of sessions and in terms of longevity. If I see that one Twitter App is used 50x daily by the average user, crashes 1% of the time, and is used for an average of 2-months, I'll buy regardless of the rating. If I see another Twitter App (any app) that the average user launched 4x total and deleted, then I am not going to buy.

This reminds me of what I think is an even worse scam in the App Store. There was an app that promised to track any user's mobile phone at anytime and tell you where it was. What came out in the comments was it was a gag-app, and it kept sending the user their own location. If it is marketed as a gag-app I have no problem, but deliberately misleading people is theft. In my mind it is no different then if I sell you a box and promise you that a new iPhone is in it, and you take it home, open it, and find its just a note that says, "Gotcha".

Now what's really sickening is to combine this… so as your browsing at my box that I say has an iPhone in it, my paid friend stops by and says "this is an awesome deal I am so happy with my purchase".

]]> By: Tito Salgado http://isource.com/2010/04/30/paid-for-reviews-to-scam-the-app-store-theres-a-site-for-that/#comment-22875 Fri, 30 Apr 2010 16:21:21 +0000 http://isource.com/iphone-app-store/paid-for-reviews-to-scam-the-app-store-theres-a-site-for-that/%20#comment-22875 This is a total scam.

]]> By: Sebastien http://isource.com/2010/04/30/paid-for-reviews-to-scam-the-app-store-theres-a-site-for-that/#comment-22872 Fri, 30 Apr 2010 15:59:27 +0000 http://isource.com/iphone-app-store/paid-for-reviews-to-scam-the-app-store-theres-a-site-for-that/%20#comment-22872 Besides being ethically wrong, it's a total rip off. $10 for a review???
Patrick, I hope you added a no follow to this site URL.

]]> By: Thomas http://isource.com/2010/04/30/paid-for-reviews-to-scam-the-app-store-theres-a-site-for-that/#comment-22861 Fri, 30 Apr 2010 15:14:55 +0000 http://isource.com/iphone-app-store/paid-for-reviews-to-scam-the-app-store-theres-a-site-for-that/%20#comment-22861 I've also seen the head of a small game company write his own "review" of his app and post it to sites…

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