A bad review can be GOOD for business

IT’S the one thing many business owners simply dread: receiving a one-star online review.

But far from being the death knell for a firm, a study has found that a bad review on a website like Amazon or TripAdvisor may actually be good for business.

This is because customers become sus- picious when faced with a perfect set of five-star reports for a product.

But a couple of disgruntled users can make a glowing list of reviews seem more authentic, the researchers found – and the pickier the complaint, the better.

The scientists, from the Open University of Israel and Tel Aviv University, found that a camera with positive reviews became less desirable when a one-star comment was added, criticising its ability to take photos in low light.

However, its popularity surged when there was a review criticising its colour.

The team says this shows that while a relevant negative review may harm a product, any other type of sniping may actually drive people towards buying it.