Airbnb
AMES, Iowa - Online reviews seem like the best way to see whether it's worth booking a hotel or an Airbnb, but these ratings might not always be so honest. Researchers from Iowa State University say luxury hotels inflate their reviews to compete with online travel agency competitors such as Airbnb. People may want to take a deeper dive into other factors beyond reviews when planning where to stay for their next vacation.
Before Airbnb became the go-to site for rentals, hotels were already manipulating their reviews. Past research found that 15% to 30% of online hotel reviews were fake. These fabricated reviews came from hotel managers to boost ratings and drag down competitors. The current study expands on the findings to see if "review manipulation" has increased since Airbnb's launch in 2008.
Results showed that high-end hotels increased their review manipulation tactics when Airbnb came to market, most likely finding pressure to keep up with their options. The fake reviews were often positive and less about trashing other hotels with similar price points.
Interestingly, Airbnb's presence in the global market did not affect reviews for low-end hotels. The rate of positive or negative fake reviews stayed the same. The study authors explain this is likely because customers are less likely to rely on reviews rather than prices and space availability in these locations.
"We have shown the evidence that if there are more Airbnb listings available around high-end hotels, those hotels tend to self-promote more by posting fake positive ratings. Consumers need to be careful because the reviews, especially on Tripadvisor, may be inflated and not be truly representative of the quality," says Nie.
The researchers note that there is always a possibility that hotels post fake Expedia reviews by paying for rooms.
The study is published in MIS Quarterly.
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