Amazon has banned more than 600 Chinese brands in crackdown on review fraud

Have you noticed that some well-known tech accessory manufacturers are disappearing from Amazon? These are not just rare incidents, they are part of a larger campaign. In response to The edge, Amazon has confirmed a South China Morning Post report that the internet giant has banned more than 600 Chinese brands (spread over 3,000 seller accounts) for incidents of review fraud. These companies have intentionally and repeatedly violated review policies prohibiting reasoned reviews, Amazon said.

The online retailer first revealed the figure in an interview with Vice President Cindy Tai on state-controlled network China Central Television. He had previously remained relatively silent on the larger effort.

The crackdown began in earnest five months earlier, but received greater attention when Amazon banned Aukey and Mpow. Sellers were surprised to offer rewards, including gift cards, to customers who left reviews. Amazon then started RAVPower, Vava, and other relatively well-known brands for similar behavior. It is not known how many non-Chinese brands have been banned.

There are signs that these sellers are dodging bans or have escaped some detection, like the Aukey headphones under the Key Series brand. However, it’s safe to say that the broader anti-fraud strategy has dramatically changed the Amazon marketplace – much to the chagrin of banned businesses that relied heavily on Amazon-based sales.