Policy
Incentivised review
An incentivised review is one written in exchange for something of value — a discount, a free product, entry to a prize draw, or loyalty points.
Every major platform prohibits it. Amazon, Google, Yelp, and Trustpilot all treat compensation for reviews as manipulation, regardless of whether the incentive was conditional on being positive.
In the US, an undisclosed material connection between reviewer and business is also an FTC disclosure issue independent of platform policy.
In practice
Incentivise the next visit, never the review. If you run a prize draw for feedback, keep it off the public review platforms entirely.
Common questions
- Can I give a free coffee for a review?
- No. That is an incentivised review under every major platform's policy, even if you did not ask for a positive one.