Business software filters customer reviews to hide negative ones
Phorest and Fresha let businesses selectively show only positive reviews to the public.
Business management platforms including Phorest and Fresha offer a feature called review gating. Phorest and Fresha filter customer feedback before it reaches public review sites like Google.
The way it works: a business sets a star rating threshold. Customers rating below that level are not asked to post publicly.
Meanwhile, satisfied customers are encouraged to leave positive reviews. Google, Trustpilot and Tripadvisor all prohibit this practice.
Their policies ban businesses from asking for good reviews and stopping bad ones. Australian Consumer Law does not mention review gating by name.
But businesses that distort customer satisfaction could break laws about misleading or deceptive conduct. In 2017, the Federal Court found Meriton Suites had broken the law.
The company manipulated which guests could leave TripAdvisor reviews. Many small businesses may not know the feature is there.
Digital consultant Jason Castellano said most owners probably don't question tools their software provider offers.
- Phorest, Fresha
- Platforms offering feature
- Google, Trustpilot, Tripadvisor
- Platforms that ban it
- Federal Court 2017 Meriton Suites
- Precedent case
Why it mattersIf your review search is rigged, you lose the genuine feedback you need to pick a business. Misleading ratings can push you toward poor service.
AustraliaAustralian businesses using these tools risk legal action from the ACCC if the practice distorts the picture of customer satisfaction.
