A Purplebricks spokesperson has confirmed that it is no longer possible for members of the public to post reviews via Facebook.
The facility was disabled on Christmas Day, making it impossible to view or leave reviews.
Instead, Trustpilot reviews can now be seen on the Purplebricks Facebook page.
A Purplebricks spokesperson said: “We welcome genuine customer feedback, as is evident by over 11,000 audited reviews on Trustpilot, with an average score of 9.4 out of ten (rating excellent).
“However, we have turned off our Facebook review functionality following clear cases of misuse, the inability to limit such reviews to genuine customers and the fact that our Trustpilot reviews can now be accessed direct through the Facebook page.
“Feedback from our customers is actively encouraged at Purplebricks, good or bad, and we will always listen to it, improve and make amends where necessary.”
One thing this has proved to be beyond doubt is that reviews on review sites are not worth the keyboard they are typed out on. Manipulation, manipulation, manipulation!
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‘Feedback from our customers is actively encouraged at Purplebricks, good or bad, and we will always listen to it, improve and make amends where necessary.’
So why not leave all reviews up…good or bad…instead of removing the bad ones?
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Trust pilot should be reported for not policing purplebricks. In some ways it shows their naivity that they think putting a house on the market is the product to be reviewed…should only be reviewed after the transaction has gone through..
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RIGHTMOVE i hope your taking note: Shouldnt be letting such poor businesses use your service.
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Sorry to go on… google dont list businesses that havent got a physical presence in the area so why should rightmove count them as an estate agent.
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Clever… Social media is the first place people will go to post negative reviews.
Let’s block people from posting them.
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A blue agent uses Trustpilot and all they do is put negative reviews at the back so 11,000 reviews the first 1000 will be positive but the rest will be ****! PB at it again!!!
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Dont get me started .How can an impartial rating be achieved when Trustpilot allows the client to police their own site Bricks flagging up to Trustpilot who will remove the unfavourable reviews which arent backed up by an invoice with the company but let the unverified favourable ones remain . I suspect Bricks have members of staff permanantly policing the reviews .
The number of reviews to the number of instructions is disproportionately y high 30 k instructions a colossal 11,000 reviews . 70% + of the reviews of Bricks are made by individuals revewing a company on Trustpiot for the first time !! which raises a few questions Most of the reviews seem scripted littered with variations on a theme “so much cheaper than the high street agent”
Its a farce
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Yet another cynical way of deceiving the potential new customer!!!
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I bought two beds from Bensons with delivery scheduled 2 weeks later. The following day I received a review request from Trustpilot.
The chap in Bensons was very good, but all he had done was provide a smile, offer a free mattress cover and show his prowess at wielding a PDQ machine as he relieved me of nearly £3k. At this point, it was 5 stars all the way.
On the delivery day, the beds appeared within the 6 hour time-slot (just), but one was flat-packed. The old beds were not removed as requested and the collections team had lost the text with my address and the shop hadn’t kept a record. In order to assemble the new beds, I had to carry the old ones down stairs.
The neighbours we pleased when the two mattresses were collected from the driveway after two days. The packaging was left behind.
After this point, would I give Bensons 5 stars? Well, Trustpilot haven’t asked again and I have deleted the email, but they advised on Twitter that the retailer set the point at which the request for a review is sent out.
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The only true review of an estate agency service is after completion of the sale. If people reviewed us after the uploading of photos and floor plans, we would get top marks most of the time I am sure…….but this is a review of our listing process… this is not in any way the complete picture is it? It’s only perhaps a fifth of the whole story. We still have then all the viewings, feedback, offers , negotiating, agreement, solicitors, survey, chasing, holding together, completion!
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Reminds me of a Seth Godin post “This relentless reframing of the truth into something else causes us to not ask the right questions, it prevents us from understanding our options and from making smart choices. In a culture where conmen, hucksters and others desperately seeking power & influence have decided that they can profit from making the truth seem relative, we’re in danger of every day becoming April 1st.
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Surely the only time to review a service or product is after the job is done and the dust is settled? This results in fewer responses I have no doubt as, for some, the moment has passed but at least the review will be genuine, measured and truthful whether positive or negative.
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Purplebricks reviews are all requested just after instruction or again when the property goes under offer. I believe they are not requested when the sale falls through or on completion. They vendors has to manually request a review.
Based on the amount of dis instructions and failed sales I have witnessed locally I would guess their reviews would read differently if the reviews were requested at the end of a transaction or when the client has to pay for a service they have not received.
The last one I spoke to lost his chain weeks prior and Purplebricks neglected to find this information out or maybe indeed pass it on. I believe he will be trying to write a negative review.
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Go to twitter to see the real picture about PB not Trust mylot
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well I suppose if no one can see the negative comments then it’s just another case of the “Emperor’s new clothes”
innit !
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Surely if a business turns off reviews on a site that they can’t manage in favour of a site that they can manage it has to raise questions about the validity of the reviews!
Lack of openess and clear PR management strategy on the part of PB I feel!
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Don’t think openness was ever in the business plan……it was only ever about ‘what can we use and control in order to create the most business for us as quickly as possible, and enable the best most profitable (for us) exit strategy, before the truth gets out.
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You all raise the right point – that TP reviews are in no way a true reflection on service, and that blocking FB reviews obstructs a ‘real’ review from going live. And it is very important, and very sad.
But the cynic in me knows that the average customer doesn’t care. They’ll not see reviews on FB and think “oh well”, have a quick look at the TP reviews and see “9.4/10 ave” and think they’re in the money – I get to sell my house super cheap!
Of course (as is the point of PB) the property won’t get sold. And the punter loses cash and doesn’t sell their home. Is there a backlash? Of course there isn’t.
If PB were genuinely concerned that the public would react to this business model with the loathing that it deserves, they wouldn’t have bothered opening. If they were genuinely concerned that the ‘reviews’ section was going to impede money-making, they wouldn’t have bothered opening.
PB (and this isn’t just PB, this is a global trend that preys on the emerging “I want this I want that I want it and I want it now” mentality) are using the public’s laziness against them. Bravo to them, but it stinks and it will never stop stinking.
Unfortunately, this is because people don’t put time and effort into these things anymore. They want instant gratification and when things go wrong they learn a harsh lesson. The irony is that they then won’t even put into practise that lesson next time the same thing happens, because the shining lights and money-saving are greater than the value of actually thinking about what you wish to achieve.
Shame on PB for doing this, yes. But shame on the punters who A) are so inept that PB doing this is a legitimate marketing scheme and B) aren’t clever enough to prove the system wrong.
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Mr Harvey,
We would be very interested to speak to you directly about a project we are involved in. If you are interested, how can we contact you?
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http://military-technologies.net/2017/01/06/grant-of-options-and-pdmr-notification/
Interesting.
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“Instead, Trustpilot reviews can now be seen on the Purplebricks Facebook page.”
Hmmm… Just had a look – and compared it to the actual @Trustpilot page. (it would be rude not to…)
Ten perfect 5* ‘reviews’ on the trot in both pages. THEN… it went a bit Pete on THEIR page. You see, in between the glowing reviews from ‘Nick Waind’ and ‘Wayne Courtnage’ (No 11 ‘review’ on the FB page) Trustpilot have… wait for it… A FOUR STAR entry from ‘Shez’ – who had “a few issues” BEFORE instructing them – but seems basically happy so far.
Interestingly – that was a VERIFIED Review – of the TWENTY FIVE displayed on their FB page, only ONE is verified.
I wonder if there will ever be a day when the FB page will be full of ‘Reviews that read
‘Purplebricks UK reported this review for breach of Trustpilot guidelines. We are currently assessing the review in accordance with our reporting processes’?
I’ll be watching – FOR THE FIRST!
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They seem to be uploading in realtime – this should be… interesting!
Shift+PrtScn at the ready…
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SO…
* Their latest adverts feature people who have sold their properties – THROUGH HIGH STREET AGENTS;
* They are crowing here https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=1872020796414615&id=100008201382911 that they had the 4th most popular property for sale on @Zoopla in 2016 – which they have been ‘marketing’ now for over 21 weeks and remains unsold…
What kind of ‘PR’ are they going to chuck at us next? Photos of their disgruntled sellers all lined up on bridges waiting for their turn to put an end to their #conmisery? (of course not – they don’t have any… @Trustpilot and @Facebook sees to that for them…)
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#conmisery….absolutely nailed it with that one PeeBee….every independent estate agent needs to put a post on twitter now….come on guys…lets start telling people and customers the truth!
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So on Facebook you cannot delete reviews if you do not agree with them, but on Trustpilot you can
Hmmmm wonder why they have gone down this route?
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http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/property/2332515-Purple-Bricks-Stories-please
here are some honest reviews from Mums.net
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Read most of them. Shame that no one mentioned what I believe is the most important point of all…..when you pay or are charged a fixed fee for the service up front, what incentive is there for them to do the best job possible for you afterwards (including achieving the highest possible sale price), if that involves creating more work for themselves…leaving less profit ??
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Make sure you flick through to the latest reviews on that mumsnet link. Wonder how PB will shut them down?!
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Has anyone noticed there are very few thumbs down this morning on any postings (I think I am the poster so far to get one). Some few people must be not reading or offline today. Perhaps there is a secret emergency ‘online agent only’ conference going on this morning. Any guesses at the agenda?
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Delicious irony, AgentV – don’t you think?
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Absolutely, I guess they could all have made new year resolutions not to bite and press dislike…it is very weird.
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http://blog.trustpilot.com/blog/2016/2/4/why-reputation-is-purplebricks-most-powerful-selling-point
’nuff said, methinks!
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Once again great spot PeeBee…..they are above all else more interested in selling themselves than selling the properties of their customers…end of story!!
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More unhappy customers:
https://www.aspokesmansaid.com/property/company-2298/purple-bricks-estate-agents
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AgencyInsider….well found. I really liked this one!
‘Worst service ever. We signed up after watching the adverts on TV expecting to get an excellent service and support from the local expert and how disappointed were we. The valuation was carried out and the board arrived quickly and then it stopped. No support from the local expert unless we texted him and provoked a response. A low offer was made after two weeks but where was the lical expert, on holiday ans no one else on standby to negoiate. After complai ing again eventually someone was put on point to discuss the offer but this was never followed up unless we complained. The app suggest you can ask them to manage negotiations and that didn’t work. Twice we rang head office and complained and they never responded on either occasion. The local expert tells us his job is to get it on the market only!!!!!!!!!@@ So totally dissatisfied with the service we asked them to take it off the market after two months and told we have to do that and if we did they would request their payment in full. So all your paying for is a board and to be advertised on rightmost and zoopla. Don’t waste your money people unless you want to do it all yourself. How does this poor service justify a fee of £758, what happened to no sale no fee, I guess a complaint to the ombudsman is required! Have you seen the latest advert, well don’t believe a word of it. Once it’s on the market the local area agent walks away as it’s not his job to do anymore!!!!!!!! You’ll get encouraging words like, ‘ your house is like marmite they’ll either love it or hate it’. Within 15 mins of placing this review I had an area director ring me. He investigated the complaint admitted the complaint was correct. Offered a reduction in price not cancel the fee and for another agent to look after me. The director said he would email me confirmation of our discussion to consider and guess what never recieved the email or letter. Yet more empty promises from Purplebricks. Had to now revert to the high street agent. Good luck.’
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and this one;
Purplebricks agent lied to us about how the agency works, they gave us false information and misled us. * They said the conveyancing is all done in-house, which it isn’t, it is outsourced. * they said Purplebricks operates exactly like a high street agent, and it would be a no-brainer not to sign up with them. * the agent NEVER mentioned the fact you pay even though your house may not sell. * By signing up with Purplebricks our house was never going to sell as we had NO viewings!! NOT one!! People are put off by their complicated and faulty booking system and lack of personal interaction. * they have taken £980 out of our account, even though we are currently in dispute with them. * they have also charged us £120 for accompanied viewings even though we had NO viewings!!! * If it had been explained to us clearly that we would have to pay even if our house doesn’t sell we wouldn’t have signed up, we had a window of time to sell our house, about 4 or 5 months. If we couldn’t sell in that time then we would have to not sell at all. * why would we sign up to a service that would make you pay, if you have NO viewings and DO NOT SELL????
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If a customer is led to believe like you could save thousands…. without a disclaimer warning that you could lose hundreds as well do they have recourse?
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I believe Advertising standards are looking into cases regarding this and the lack of cooling off period.
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Share price is climbing again…so guess investors clearly like what they are doing now.
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SP rising as directors buying to shore up the price attracting the punters and thenwill no doubt unleash some shares on the unsuspecting public now the handcuffs are off . 2 lucky senior executive exercised some options today making sure they cash in and probably these heading straight out of the door.Pump and dump,
December around 1500 new instructions .351 instructions for the first 5 days of Jan. Expect this to incease to about 90 per day for the rest of the month but cant see them tipping over 2,500 for the month The lettings side which they are very quiet about rowing in at under 400 current instructions. Placing on the cards to raise some money which.will be diluting the poor old shareholders stake One thing is for sure the founding fathers are creaming it
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Which I think is what it was all about in the first place
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I would question whether you are counting the number of properties listed in 5 days as new listings or whether you are checking top see how many are old listings- relisted. Over 660 properties were withdrawn from RM during December and I can’t see the volume of new instructions you are seeing.
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Robert, can you calcualte the real unique property figures? That would be interesting
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Rightmove are in the middle of changing date fields, it isn’t presently possible to get accurate numbers.
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I get 355 (source: Zoopla) – so I guess we’re not too far apart I terms of numeric, Hillofwad71.
HOWEVER… that 355 includes, as you will no doubt have realised, a substantial number of #relistings.
My guess would be 250 real “listings tops.
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For the sake of reliability how about sticking to RM stats? Rightmove are working with the industry to eradicate Portaljuggling but Zoopla, despite a promise to permanently ban jugglers, seem to have had their fingers crossed when they said that.
The RM figures but for new listings yesterday was 13 which is 23 short of their daily target average to cover the fixed costs I calculated from the latest set of EBITDA numbers but 85 short of the 98 properties they say they are listing (3000 X 12)/365
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Thanks Robert….and thanks to hillofwad71 and PeeBee for ongoing work.
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Wonder what the figures would be without the manipulated reviews figures, the misleading tv campaign and proper rules in place to disclose full fees (included referral add-ons) and prevent misrepresentation data comparing ‘reduced service, no sale, but still a fee’ compared to ‘full service no sale no fee’ ….in other words honest truthful marketing?
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Why dont we all write to Bricks and ask them to play ball and put date of listing on the instruction to save us the trouble of monitoring! Fat chance. The results of my 10 mystery shops when asking them on specific properties when first lsited where I already knew the answers was 70% truthful lied on 3 but when challenged surprisingly came up with the correct date .I need to find another hobby >
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How about designing board games to get your mind away from the industry…I’m working on one at the moment in my minuscule spare time. Its about estate agency!! OMG do you think I’m obsessed ?
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Another sign of desperation If the FB reviews were good they would leave them alone. Sounds more like shut real customers up in favour of ones they can manipulate to provide more glowing opinion than is real …. or put another way …. hide the truth!
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The real Review .1* Rating
https://www.allagents.co.uk/review/218731/
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As a small independent working 7 days a week to keep my staff in their jobs and my modest business afloat this is what I do to keep the call centre agents at bay in my area.
If us small independents all adopt these ‘disrupter’ strategies we can stop the call centres getting market share, or ever being profitable. That way we can keep our businesses and our staff in their jobs.
When a call centre lists in my area I immediately write to the vendor and offer a High Street presence, local knowledge and personal service for the same fee. I remind them that they have 14 days to come out of their contract with the call centre. Whilst this might not make you any money its about keeping your market share. I have taken instructions from the call centres using this strategy.
If strategy one doesn’t work I have set up accounts with the main call centre agents and I book viewings at their listed property. I ask friends and family to do the same. These bookings are of course ‘no shows’. I sometimes book second viewings as well. After 3 of 4 ‘no show’ viewings I write to the vendor again to offer my reliable services, where all viewers are contacted and screened.
In parallel with action one and two I use my dummy email accounts to book Valuations with the call centre agents at random addresses to waste the ‘local’ account managers time and make them unavailable for anything else.
Another strategy is to contact the vendor when you see the call centre reduce the sale price. I highlight the loss of value and the fact that a local agent knows the real value of their property and what people will pay for it.
Whilst these actions do take up time these companies are trying to destroy our businesses and our livelihoods – ‘disrupting’ them from getting market share is worth it in the long term. The more of us that implement these strategies the better. Protect your business – Act today.
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interesting comments by m bruce… considering he owned a west midlands group..it had poor direction and poor consequences too
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