Asking you to remove a negative review is an unethical attempt to deceive buyers. I would post the request to remove your review.

Have you considered the Samsung POWERbot?

What they are asking you to do is against amazon's policy and terms of service. My advice:. Don't do it.

Brush, I can't afford those. I wish!

Look at it this way - if another reviewer had posted the same negative review then you might not have selected this one. Maybe you received a lemon and the others work better. If so, then that will show in other reviews. You alone won't sink the company

I wouldn't change my review and I'd pass their comment along to Amazon.

Accepting their offer would be unethical in my opinion. Your review may save someone else from the hassle and heartache of spending hard earned cash on a product that doesn't seem to measure up to expectations.

And unlike some others, Pawprint, you are verbal and outspoken, so you can do good where someone else might be cowed by this company's pathetic attempt to maintain their profits. If they want to succeed, they should make a better product, not attempt to silence honest criticism.

Maybe the vacuum you received was defective in some way. Let them send you a same-model replacement. If that one fails to perform, let the review stand. If it works fine, then give it a better review, maybe or maybe not reflecting nice customer service in sending the replacement.

Whatever the outcome, please let Amazon know that they tried to get you to remove your review, and offered you a freebie if you would.

I wonder if the company could be having this problem. http://www.cnbc.com/2016/10/24/how-amazon-counterfeits-put-this-mans-business-on-brink-of-collapse.html

He is being overwhelmed with counterfeiters ruining his business with ripoffs of the real thing. Amazon is really doing nothing to make sure sellers are selling the correct product. You could of got a fake and the real people want you to try theirs. There are stories of fake skin products, fake shoes, ect.

Here lies the problem with knock offs. Some work better than others. Glenda raves about her Neato.

I think I would feel bad for the start up. I wonder if they are trying to develop a better product? It is hard out there.

I would give them a break and try anther one. I agree with the above poster who said that maybe you got a dud.

If this is such an inferior product, they will go out of business soon, with or without your review.

Like Hounds said..I'd allow a replacement just to be sure you didn't have a defective one..I'd leave the review stand until your testing is done. I'd also read the manual since perhaps this is for floors without throw rugs.If the manual states it does not climb throw rugs, some of these do not climb throw rugs and that would be in the manual..than I'd reconsider how your review was written.

I agree wth ratherbesewing. Report it to Amazon and let them take care of it.

Is your integrity worth $69.99?

WOW! I leave reviews aaaaaaaaaaaall the time. So this is a new spin for me. I think free is cool if it's a mistake on your part...not if your being bribed for a false review.

I would be angry about the offer of a free vacuum. I agree with others, let Amazon know. Don't feel sorry for the company. I suspect they are buying these inexpensive machines overseas to sell on Amazon, and if they are no good, they shouldn't be selling them.

Another thing while I'm on the soapbox, I don't like being contacted by sellers urging me to make a review, and I don't like reading review after review by people who say they were given the product in exchange for an honest review. I don't think I've seen one of those reviews less than five stars.

I don't believe in publicly venting a negative experience or product problem with a review others can read. I just don't. I'll return a product or not return to the business. That's more than enough.

A cheap knockoff is what it is. You were expecting something else?

No, I would not change my review. It was fair and honest. I would not accept any kind of gift as payment for a positive review on a bad product.

I always read a ton of reviews before purchasing. If there's one or two negatives, but more are positive, I'll usually take a chance. It never occurred to me some people could be bribed into changing their reviews by being given a free product. That's so unethical.

I hope you leave your review there.

I believe the Shark Navigator vacuum is a modified Dyson knockoff. It's supposed to be better than a Dyson. Yes, buying a knockoff can be a better purchase for a lower price. Yes, you can expect it! :0)

Knockoff discussion for Shark vs Dyson

And, I agree, Socks... what's with all these people getting free products in exchange for their "honest" review? I bought shower curtain hooks off of Amazon and the # of people who got them for free was amazing. How do I get on that freebie list?!

I also have a Neato (cost $350) and love it I have it going over large area rugs but don't see why it wouldn't go over taped smaller rugs but I wash mine every 10 days as they are in front my outer doors they need to be shook daily. I relied on reviews on it and am very glad I bought it. I wouldn't trust Samsung without reading reviews. I recently bought a large capacity washer and was torn a Samsung which was $459 and the GE which was $50 more I was lucky enough to talk to one of the men who delivers them and he said the Samsung was being returned to the store as they were full of problems. Make up my mind...

I agree you shouldn't compromise your principals. I don't know if Amazon will take any action though.

I recently wrote a 1-star review of a product I thought to be fraudulent and Amazon refused to publish it. They said it was 'profane'. I didn't use any profanity at all. I just said 'buyer beware' and stated I thought it was fraudulent and buyers should check the original company website, which stated the product was only sold by physicians (and the seller was not represented as such). And I briefly discussed my experience with it and results. I re-wrote it and apparently it was accepted but I really never went back to check. I lost a little faith in Amazon reviews that day.

"I don't believe in publicly venting a negative experience or product problem with a review others can read."

You have a right to your beliefs. However, from time immemorial people have learned through the experiences of others. In older times, a person or company shared experiences through 'word of mouth'. Technology has made it easier for companies to advertise, but also to deceive or package through words and images an inferior product to entice us to buy.

Technology allows us to counter those technology benefits enjoyed by substandard businesses by making it possible for us to share experience. Sometimes, those shares are literally lifesaving, as when customers share with each other car malfunctions, drug side effects, sleazy lies by medical professionals for weight loss or other types of products or services. Other times, we are saved from wasting our time and hard earned money on substandard products.

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The negative reviews are the ones I pay attention to as anyone (inside the business or out) can post a good review. I'd leave the negative.

Keep your eyes open for a refurbished Neato; sometimes Woot has them. That's what I have and the price is much better.

If you want a Neato or a Roomba, simply do what I do when I can't afford something immediately: save up for it. Good luck!

I'm only saying that before writing a review we should know how the product is designed to operate. What if this is designed only for hard floors, no rugs or carpeting..or only recommended for wide open spaces. Not all of these little guys are recommended to use with throw rugs.

My point I was trying to make was that you may have got a FAKE vacuum. You may not have, but if you did, it would NOT work correctly. The only way to know is to accept the free vacuum, try it, then post a review based on that vacuum. Amazon is NOT what it used to be. I still use it a lot, but they are trying to compete with Walmart and you know where that is going to lead them. You would not be a bad person, you could then give a review based on the new vacuum. If it is bad, give a bad review again and donate the vacuum to a thrift store or throw it into the trash and state that on your review.

You will never know until you try.

Not only would I not accept the bribe, I'd be sorely tempted to edit my review to note the unethical attempt to get it removed. I could better understand the remove request if it was like some that I have seen, where they give 1-2 stars for a product they are happy with, but it ended up being delivered to a neighbor's house.

Sherry, in that case the business should have offered to send a free one, with the hope it would show that the first was simply defective. A request to update the old review with a more positive one, should the customer's opinion get changed with the second item, would have been fine.

Personally since it appears a bribe..I'd copy and post the bribe email in its entirety on the reviews.

Nah, I would not remove the review or accept the bribe. I don't even trust the reviews of those who gave their "unbiased" opinions in return for a free item. In fact, it discourages me from buying that item.

Amazon is cracking down on the "review clubs" - those who accept free or discounted items for an - ahem - unbiased review. Many people have been shut off and can no longer use Amazon. Review clubs are absolutely against policy (except Amazon Vine, which is Amazon's own program).

I agree with Brushworks, their request is unethical and I would tell them that. I would probably report it to Amazon as well and the reason is because it says who they are or will be as a company and Amazon already has enough issues with dishonest vendors. The fact that they are a newer start up is of no consequence in my perspective because (even if they're being honest by saying that) they are still choosing to start up a business in an environment with heavy competition.

This is why Amazon reviews are becoming worthless. I skim down to the bottom of each review to see if the reviewer discloses that they got the item free or at a discount in exchange for their review. Lots of pictures is a big tip off.

I'm sorry your vac sucked-or didn't. It's just underhanded to manipulate reviews that people really count on when they spend their hard-earned and not-growing-on-trees money!

I'd tell the company to make a better product.

I do not think it is a bribe. I think it is a real company trying to combat a scammer. Why do everyone think it is a scammer? No one has even given anyone a chance. I haven't bought the vacuum. I do not know the people. I just think that someone needs to give the REAL seller a chance. None of you seem to want to. Why????? Will it cost you money? Will it cost you time? No to both questions. I do not think it is unethical and I do not think it is a bribe. Go ahead and report it to Amazon. They will just throw it into the trash. AMAZON DOES NOT CARE!

" I just think that someone needs to give the REAL seller a chance."

If the real seller sees consistent negative reviews, he has a chance to make a better product. There is always some hanky panky with fake good reviews or fake bad reviews. But if you will look up products you know are good, you will see the good reviews prevail.

"Will it cost you money?"

Fraudulent sales in terms of products that do not work as advertised certainly cost consumers money.

AMAZON DOES NOT CARE!

Doing the right thing and trying to avert fraud does not depend on whether Amazon cares. If they see an uprising of protest about a certain practice, they may believe it may threaten their bottom line, and they do care about that.

If its not a bribe it smacks at one....however there's another point here that I already brought up. Is this robot designed for throw rugs or carpet...what's the manual say about this...if the manual says designed for hard non carpeted floors than a poor review based on it not climbing onto a throw rug is out of line. So what does the manual say.

Lucille, You missed the point I made in my very first post. There is a very big problem with what you get from Amazon. When you order you see several different sellers selling the same thing. What LOOKS like the same thing. It is NOT. Some will be the original correct item, the rest of them will be cheap copies made by a thief. You can't tell until you receive the item.

That may not be the case here, but the OP will never know unless she tries the free vacuum.

If anyone will go back to my first post, there is a link to a CNN story about this problem.

The seller never mentions even the possibility that the product is a fake. If that isn't on the manufacturer's radar, how can it be on the buyer's? The company attempted to bribe her to take her negative review down. That's what's happening here.

I think the OP's question wouldn't even be a question if the company told her they wanted to send her a new vacuum because the first one could be a dud or a knockoff, and asked to revise her rating after trying the replacement.

They just said the bad reviews hurt their start up, and that is true. But reviews are there as a barometer for other buyers and pleading with her to take it down for their sakes only is unethical.

My guess is that the vacuum is a cheap version of better vacuums, and you get what you pay for.

Sherry,

A customer is entitled to make reviews based on the product they ordered and received. The onus of making sure the buyer gets what she ordered should be placed where it belongs, on the seller, not on an innocent buyer.

To do otherwise would encourage sellers to keep sending out what might be cheap copies and wait for a customer to complain, meanwhile still profiting from those who simply don't complain.

Lucille, You STILL Haven't read the article I posted.http://www.cnbc.com/2016/10/24/how-amazon-counterfeits-put-this-mans-business-on-brink-of-collapse.html

I am through with this thread.

WOW Sherry - what an interesting article/video. I had no idea. Thanks for posting it.

I told the manufacturer to send me a new one for free & I'll try it then reconsider my review. Maybe I got a dud.

The manual is in Chinese so I can't read it.

I wouldn't say it's a knockoff, it's just a $69.99 robot vacuum. So it's not really false advertising. I knew I was buying a cheap one, but hoped it might be a little dynamo!

Let us know how #2 works. Given the manual is in Chinese, I'm not holding out much hope ;-(

Sherry, I read your article, and agree there is a problem. I simply differ in the proposed solution- I think that between the sellers who make a profit, and the innocent consumer, the responsibility for making sure that what is sent is the same as what is advertised should lie with the seller.

Sellers who suspect their product's reputation is being damaged should consider selling direct. Many companies do.

What's not cool is begging and bribing to get someone who's spent their money, to take their HONEST review down.

Also, you really should be sure to disclose that you received a free or discounted product in return for your review, if and when you re-review.

Further, the manufacturer can comment on reviews and explain that the product received could be or is a knockoff and that could explain the poor performance. If the buyer turned down a replacement, that could also be noted.

There is NO WAY I would let a Samsung device run around my house considering their poor record of quality and safety!! Not just their phones but go online and research yourself their poor building quailty of refrigerators, dryers, etc....

Yes, people learn from other's experiences. I'm a strong believer that the phrase "consider the source" is applicable for online reviews. I think a lot of people use online reviews as a means to vent their anger or express extreme views, and because of that, I don't think they are often informative. I find them useful if a particular problem seems to be a recurring issue , but otherwise, I don't put much value in them. To each his or her own

As a long-time Amazon Prime member, I use it weekly. I can tell you that there have been several instances where I've looked at products on Amazon and read reviews which warn that they think or know the product is a fake.

"Beware", they say.

I heed those warnings and are grateful for them. Why should someone else buy a crappy or fake product? I benefit from the herd immunity, if you will. We all do.

I'd let the review stand as is. It is what it is and others benefit from knowing.

Did you ask the company what part of your review that they considered incorrect?
If nothing was incorrect ... isn't it up to them to just put up with your review?

ole joyful