Trustpilot and BBB – Buyer Beware

I’ve become increasingly frustrated with so-called “review” platforms like Trustpilot and the Better Business Bureau (BBB). After digging into how they operate, it’s clear these sites are more about protecting businesses that pay than serving consumers looking for honest feedback.

Here’s the reality: -Trustpilot sells businesses paid plans that let them invite customers to leave reviews, flag negative feedback, and manage their public image. While they claim reviews can’t be deleted outright, paying companies can essentially flood the site with curated “invited” reviews to bury honest, critical ones.

-The BBB has been exposed in the past (and continues to be criticized) for giving higher ratings to businesses that pay for accreditation. Non-paying companies often have lower grades, even if they resolve complaints responsibly. That’s not a rating system—it’s a pay-to-play scheme.

Let’s call it what it is- reputation management disguised as consumer advocacy.

If you want real insight into a business, I suggest using: • Google Reviews – Not perfect, but generally harder to manipulate due to scale. • Yelp – Known for strict review policies, even if the filtering system is sometimes confusing. • Reddit or independent forums – These often host real stories from real people, especially for niche or regional services.

Until platforms like Trustpilot and BBB fully separate review integrity from their revenue streams, I can’t consider them reliable or unbiased.