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Can Reviewers Say Anything They Want About Your Dealership?

How many of us have found ourselves incredibly frustrated when we received a negative review for our dealership that was blatantly false?

Are reviewers of your dealership allowed to say anything they want – even if it is untrue?

As Americans, each of us is fortunate to have the right to free speech. The Internet provides a quick and simple way for each of us to share our experiences and reviews of products and services we use each day. I know that having the ability to read other folks’ reviews has been incredibly helpful to me, whether I am looking to buy a new item on Amazon, or while scheduling a trip and checking out TripAdvisor. However, where do you draw the line, if at all, when it comes to negative reviews?

Recently, a judge in Virginia ordered a Yelp user to change their negative review. The user had left a particularly nasty review for a building contractor that they accused of stealing. The business sued for $750,000 in response to the negative review, as they claimed they had lost significant money due to this negative review. In particular, the reviewer stated that the contractor had damaged their home, trespassed, and stolen jewelry. The building contractor stated the accusations were false – and that the negative review was costing them business. The full details of the case are available here.

I believe that many of us have faced similar situations where an unhappy customer leaves a negative review with false, and even libelous statements. Are they protected by their right to free speech?

My opinion is NO!

Many of us have heard that we have the right to free speech, but we do not have the right to enter a movie theater and scream “fire” and induce panic when that is not the case. I believe the same analogy applies here. The right to free speech is crossed when the reviewer makes false and libelous statements that damage the dealership’s reputation and also cost future business due to false accusations. I am perfectly fine with a negative review that is accurate, however, making false statements in order to cause damage to future business for a dealership is wrong and malicious.

While dealer ratings and review sites like DealerRater have tools and processes in place to ensure that any review, positive or negative, is accurate, there are many other sites that provide no avenue of response for a dealer that is unfairly accused.

Some of you might also be familiar with another review site (which I do not want to name here) that is ran by a felon where dealers are extorted to remove negative reviews which are planted by the site itself as a money-making scheme. When dealers work so hard to ensure their customers are 100% satisfied, there is nothing more frustrating than when a disgruntled customer leaves malicious and false reviews online.

Where do you stand on this?

Do you think that reviewers can say whatever they want, without any legal recourse for dealers? And perhaps next time you leave a negative review for someone, you should think twice about what you are saying…

As a former Naval officer I am driven to produce results & to lead people to reach their full abilit Aviation, outdoors, tennis, running, weighli...
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    Joe Webb
  • December 18, 2012
Since we are on the other side of this debate (dealers rather than consumers), it is easier for us to say that there should be some recourse or "correction" for customers that over exaggerate the true circumstances to "win" the argument in advance and sway future readers of the review.  However, as public opinion stands, and the age-old adage of "customer is always right" permeates through our customer service hallways, it is indeed the customer's right to post whatever the heck they want.  Right or wrong, forums have given everyone a voice, whether they (or their intelligence) deserves to have one or not.
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    KevinFrye
  • December 18, 2012
Couldn't disagree more Joe, sorry. Making blatantly false statements is not only wrong, it is against the law - it's called libel. I understand folks getting upset about a poor experience, but you cannot make untrue statements that can damage a dealership's business. It's not right, and I believe we will see more lawsuits over time as dealerships defend themselves over untrue statements.
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    Joe Webb
  • December 18, 2012
I'm just saying that all consumers have a right to post, not make false statements.  As I mentioned, if there was a way to require truthfulness, or if it was more acceptable for companies to defend themselves with hard facts, I would be agreeable to this.  However, this is a case-by-case basis.  If a consumer is lying in a way that could potentially hurt business, I believe companies should be able to submit contradictory information to the review site that, when proven, causes the review to be deleted.  One of my very own clients was bashed online by a consumer for not allowing him to pick up his license plates even though it was state-mandated that it wasn't allowed until he paid his late child support payments.  Here it is where it's a STATE law that the dealer adheres to, but the consumer online made it appear that the dealership was playing games and lying.  If there was a way to require truth, I'd stand behind that philosophy.  Until then, we need to wow customers each and every time.
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    Deb Arelline
  • December 21, 2012
Currently going through this right now!!
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    DealerRefresh
  • December 21, 2012
Sorry to hear that Deb. just remember to always "respond" and NOT "react"
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    Livefyre
  • December 21, 2012
Sorry to hear that Deb. just remember to always "respond" and NOT "react"
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Very interesting topic that I have not though of before. It seems it is unavoidable that every dealerships will come across "that customer" who seems to never be satisfied. Solution: Get so many authentic positive reviews that one negative review seems unbelievable to review readers.
 
Customers do have the right to post whatever they want, and I stand behind that. If dealers could alter bad reviews, then how would poorly managed car dealerships lose market share? And in turn, well managed dealerships gain market share?
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    BigCarPage
  • January 12, 2013
As a dealer or salesperson, unfortunately you cannot respond to a negative review on DealerRater as a non-paying entity - this should be challenged in court to provide ALL dealers access free of charge to DEFEND themselves. However if you are signed up with DealerRater and pay and use the tools they have for dealers, it is almost impossible to get a negative review if you follow the suggested protocols. I'm working on a project/website  where business will rate the customer - throw it back at them - all hooked up through Facebook API so people will now be rated themselves, and with only the "type of business" indicated. If you can have anonymity excoriating a dealer, then dealers and other businesses deserve the same right. I plan on leveling the playing field.
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