Amazon Employees Taking Bribes To Remove Bad Product Reviews

Many companies and their products live and die by reviews left by customers online. Good reviews and a four or five-star rating could boost sales, while negative reviews could cripple a product as potential customers find better rated alternatives. The reviews are so important that some sellers are bribing Amazon employees to pull down any negative comments about their products. 

A report from the Wall Street Journal found that brokers are serving as intermediaries between sellers and employees, and in many cases, anything can be for sale. For the right price, a seller could purchase sales metrics on their products and the personal information of people who have left reviews. 

The practice is widespread in China, where workers can earn up to $2,000 for helping sellers gain a competitive advantage. 

Amazon said they are investigating the claims and told Reuters that they hold "employees to a high ethical standard and anyone in violation of our code faces discipline."

Photo: Getty Images