UPDATE: Brian’s family has reported that he is home safe and well
ORIGINAL STORY:
Police are appealing for the public’s help as part of their efforts to trace a 49 year old man reported missing in Edinburgh.Brian Garrity was last seen in the Crewe Road area at around 9.30am yesterday (Monday 21 June) and there are concerns for his welfare.
Brian is described as 6ft 2in, medium build with short greying hair. He was wearing a black Lyle & Scott jacket, navy Nike jogging bottoms and navy & yellow Adidas trainers. He walks with a slight limp.
Anyone who may have seen Brian since this time, or who has any information on his whereabouts, is urged to contact Police Scotland via 101 quoting incident number 3811 of 21/06/2021.
Youth groups, schools, community organisations, activist groups and individuals of all ages, abilities and filmmaking experience will soon be invited to take part in a major Challenge to create 90‑second short films in response to climate change, to be screened in and around this November’s UN Climate Change Conference (COP26).
Led by Film Access Scotland with support from Screen Scotland and Keep Scotland Beautiful, the Climate Challenge: 1.5 Degree Films project will invite people to make films to share their thoughts and ideas about climate change and how it is affecting us as individuals, our surroundings, families and communities.
Local filmmaking training and support will be provided to groups in Scotland from film educators based in community hubs and within partner arts and cultural organisations. Regardless of background, age or filmmaking experience, anyone anywhere can submit a film to the Challenge, with resources available online to help people get started.
Films must be short, only 1.5 minutes long – like the hoped-for maximum limit on global warming of 1.5 degrees – and can be made using any technology, including smartphones and tablets.
Films will be available online, providing a platform for sharing views on climate change. Many will go on to be screened at fringe events in Glasgow during COP26 and there will be a special celebratory event in December where films will be awarded commendations and prizes.
Submissions from young people aged up to 25 years will automatically be entered into Film Access Scotland’s film festival in November.
Chief Executive of Film Access Scotland, Natalie Ushersaid “Global leaders will come together in Glasgow at COP26 to discuss urgent climate action to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees.
“This Challenge invites you to make 1.5 minute films to join the climate debate and help us create a collective snapshot of this response to climate change. Through the filmmaking support offered by the project, we want to connect people with arts and community organisations across Scotland in order to facilitate public engagement and awareness about climate change.”
Scott Donaldson, Screen Scotland’sHead of Film Educationsaid: “We all have a huge stake in the outcome of COP26 and everyone has a story to tell about their relationship with the environment and climate crisis.
“Film Access Scotland’s open access Film Challenge will inspire people to learn more about the climate crisis, promote greater public engagement with environmental issues and support people across Scotland to make films and have their voices heard at the COP26 and beyond.”
Barry Fisher, CEO of Keep Scotland Beautiful said: “To become a Net Zero Nation, the people of Scotland need to be supported to understand the Climate Emergency and identify actions we can take as individuals and as a nation to tackle it.
“Our experience working with people across Scotland is that ordinary citizens are some of the best climate change communicators, sharing messages in culturally relevant ways that resonate with their own friends, families and communities.
“That’s why we are delighted to be a partner in this project, giving a voice to people across Scotland and encouraging action on climate change at every level.”
If you are a representative of a group based in Scotland that would like to submit your expression of interest in participating, email info@filmaccess.scot. To keep up to date with latest developments, use #90SecondClimateFilms and visit Film Access Scotland.
Full details about the Climate Challenge: 1.5° Films project including eligibility criteria and submission deadlines will be announced in July 2021.
Popular sunscreens – including a leading children’s sun lotion – are failing to meet their SPF and UVA claims in Which? tests.
As people head out to enjoy the great outdoors this summer, it is important for everyone, especially children whose skin is more sensitive than adult skin, to protect their skin from harmful UVA and UVB rays that could lead to skin damage and cause skin cancer. But worryingly, Which? tests of high street sunscreens found some big brand products that did not live up to their claims.
The consumer champion tested 15 branded and own-label sunscreens, including 11 SPF30 adult products and four SPF50 kids sun creams, assessing their SPF and UVA performance, as well as how easy they were to apply.
While most passed Which?’s tests, two products – Garnier’s Ambre Solaire Clear Protect Spray SPF30 (£7) and Nivea’s Kids Protect & Care SPF50+ Spray (£6) – both failed at least one key protection test and have been labelled Which? “Don’t Buy” products.
Both brands have refuted Which? findings.
Sun Protection Factor (SPF), which shows how much a product protects against UVB rays, is one of the most important considerations when buying sunscreen, especially for young children who tend to have more sensitive skin compared to adults.
Shockingly, Nivea’s Kids Protect & Care SPF50+ failed Which?’s SPF test, falling far short of the SPF50 claim on the bottle. A further test on a second sample found the measured SPF was even lower.
In addition to SPF, consumers should also pay attention to the protection sunscreens provide against UVA rays, which can lead to premature ageing along with skin cancer. This is usually indicated with a UVA seal – a circle with ‘UVA’ inside it – which shows that it meets the EU recommendations for UVA sun protection, or the Boots UVA star rating system used to indicate a higher level of UVA protection.
Although it passed the SPF test, Garnier’s Ambre Solaire Clear Protect Spray SPF30 failed Which?’s UVA tests twice. While the results were close to the minimum required for it to pass, it did not quite make the grade.
Thirteen other own-label and branded sunscreen products passed all Which? tests, including Asda’s Protect Cooling Clear Sun Mist SPF 30 (£3.50) and Boots Soltan Kids Protect & Moisturise Suncare Lotion SPF50+(£4) which were among the cheapest of all the products.
Harry Rose, Which? Magazine Editor, said:“Whether you’re finally off on holiday or staying at home this summer, it’s important to stock up on sunscreen to keep your skin protected from harmful rays. But our research shows consumers cannot always trust that these essential products will provide the level of protection they expect for themselves and their children.
“It is concerning that two sunscreens from respected brands have failed Which?’s tests. We would advise consumers not to buy these products as there are alternatives available that are both cheaper and performed better when we tested them.”
A L’Oreal (makers of Garnier Ambre Solaire) spokesperson said it disputes Which?’s findings. It has run independent tests of the UVA properties of the product which show that it passes the tests, complies with all applicable standards and provides proper sun protection for consumers.
It added: “Garnier Ambre Solaire has been the expert at suncare innovation for over 85 years and is the only suncare brand with research recognised by the British Skin Foundation. We take product efficacy very seriously.
“Our UVA claims are supported by robust photoprotection testing carried out independently under ISO standard ISO 24443:2012 and meet the requirements of the European Recommendation for sun protection products.
“Given this, we are very surprised by the Which? results and have requested a meeting with the Which? researchers so our scientists can take them through our test results which confirm the efficacy of this product.”
A Beiersdorf (makers of Nivea) spokesperson said: “The safety of our products is of utmost importance. Nivea Sun prides itself on its decades of experience in sun care and is dedicated to developing products that reliably and effectively protect against sun damage.
“When this product was independently tested in 2019 it achieved an SPF of 62. When we re-checked this batch, the result was a UVA protection factor of 25.8. Based on this data and our comprehensive quality requirements, we disagree with the reported Which? findings.”
Five things you need to know about staying safe in the sun
The World Health Organization recommends using 35ml of sunscreen to cover the whole body; this is about seven teaspoons’ worth. It’s best to apply to all exposed areas 15 minutes before going outside, and reapply every two hours, especially after swimming or other outdoor physical activity.
UVA and UVB are both types of ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun and have been linked to skin cancer. UVB is the main cause of sunburn, while UVA can cause premature skin ageing. UVB rays are blocked by glass, but UVA can penetrate that and clouds.
The sun protection factor (SPF) shows how much protection sunscreen provides against UVB radiation. It indicates how much longer skin covered with the sunscreen takes to redden compared with unprotected skin.
When buying sunscreen, NHS recommends choosing a product with at least 4-star UVA protection indicated on the label.
For children, buying an SPF 50+ sun cream is important, but buying a decent sunscreen is only one part of keeping them safe in the sun. Getting kids to wear a wide-brimmed hat – to protect their neck and ears – and covering up with a T-shirt or an SPF sun suit while outdoors helps. Wearing sunglasses and avoiding the hottest part of the day are both advisable things to do. Babies should always be kept out of the sun.
It is recommended you wear sunscreen when the UV index hits three, the below map shows how often this happened around the country in 2020.
After a challenging year, Care Home Open Week celebrates care home workers, residents and their role in local communities
With support from the Department of Health & Social Care & partnerships with National Citizen Service, Silver Sunday and Intergenerational Music Making, organiser Championing Social Care hopes to connect communities to their care homes
Care Home Open Week, from June 28th-July 4th, will encourage communities to celebrate and thank care workers for their work during the pandemic and showcase the positive role care homes have in their communities.
Events at over 400 participating care homes around the UK will include virtual tours, fundraising dance-a-thons, karaoke, fashion shows, art projects, community service days and much more.
To find a participating care home in your area, please see the participation map at:
The Department of Health & Social Care (DHSC) will be participating in the Week with staff across the Department’s Adult Social Care team joining in a number of virtual events, including virtual tours of Majesticare and CareTech plc care services throughout the Week.
In addition, DHSC civil servants will participate in opportunities to discuss the experience of key roles in care homes, including home managers, activity coordinators and care workers from across the sector. Care teams will have the opportunity to ask questions and learn more of DHSC’s role in the sector.
Additionally, Championing Social Care has partnered with the National Citizen Service – the flagship programme for young people, Silver Sunday – the national day for older people, and Intergenerational Music Making to hold virtual events throughout the week.
Hallmark Care Homes will support Care Home Open Week and Championing Social Care with a live virtual event on Thursday, 1 July.
Event organisers have planned this year’s Care Home Open Week to be virtual, recognising that safety must be a top priority and have asked participating care homes to adapt their events to ensure they are COVID – safe and in line with government guidance.
Mitesh Dhanak (above), Founder of Precious Homes and part of the organising committee for the event, said: “We want to further enrich the lives of the UK’s care home residents by reminding the community that those individuals who live in care homes are unique individuals supported by dedicated, caring and professional teams.
“As we move ahead in the planning of Care Home Open Week, our top priority is, of course, to keep everyone safe. Our aim is still the same though: to showcase the incredibly valuable services that care homes provide at the heart of every local community.”
Many events held during the week will work to connect communities further to their local care homes.
Championing Social Care partnered with the National Citizen Service and consulted the organisation’s Youth Voice Forum for advice on how Care Home Open Week programmes can be successful and more engaging for young people.
The National Citizen Service has also encouraged the many thousands of young people it supports to get involved in volunteer opportunities for Care Home Open Week.
Examples of community engaging events include Precious Homes in Milton Keynes which will be holding their “Precious Festival” on July 1st and 2nd and will be providing outside, COVID-safe educational discussion opportunities between community members, support workers and people the home supports to speak about their experiences with Autism, sensory disorders and mental health.
Ashleigh Calder, Operations Manager – Central Region of Precious Homes, said: “We are extremely excited to be involved in Care Home Open Week. It has been a tough year and this will be a wonderful opportunity for everyone to get together and share awareness of the great work we do with the local community.
“We are hopeful our event will enable the people we support to share their experiences and for our staff to be acknowledged for their continuous hard work and dedication – and have fun of course!”
Carl Roberts, Sales and Marketing Director of TLC Care, which is providing free breakfasts on Tuesday the 29th to emergency and healthcare workers at their locations in North London, Cambridge, Hertfordshire and Surrey, said: “Here at TLC Care we are so proud to be able to launch this group wide event series to acknowledge and reward the amazing work of the emergency services and health care workers across our communities.
“This is our little way of sharing some Truth, Love and Compassion with the health care heroes.”
Jonathan Freeman, CEO of the CareTech Foundation, Founding Patron of Championing Social Care, said: “Social care is provided in so many settings up and down the country, playing a key role in the fabric of local communities.
“Care Home Open Week is a fantastic opportunity to showcase the contribution of care homes and connect local people with them.”
This year’s Care Home Open Week is organised by Championing Social Care, a volunteer-led organisation that aims to ensure a wider and deeper public understanding, appreciation and respect for social care.
Dynamic Dinosaurs are coming out to play at Conifox Adventure Park!
Dynamic Dinosaurs from 5th – 11th July
Family run, for family fun, Conifox Adventure Park announces an event of the biggest proportions, as it invites some of the oldest visitors ever seen (even older than Grandad!) to stay and play.
From 5th to 11th July, come and meet the Dinosaur Rangers as they introduce four LIVE dinosaurs, teaching you fascinating facts and telling wild stories in a fun-packed 45-minute show. Little kids and big will get to see the dinos up close, petting them as well as having the opportunity to snap a photo to remember what will be an utterly off the ‘scale’ day.
Not to be missed, this limited-edition show will be home to two Velociraptors, a Triceratops and a T-Rex, all incredibly lifelike, roaming, roaring and waiting to be discovered.
James Gammell, director of Conifox Adventure Park is one big kid who cannot wait for this dino-mite adventure: “Can you roar like a T-Rex? Stomp like a Triceratops? Well, now is your chance to find out … !
“We are so excited to have four guests coming to stay with us this July, all of whom haven’t been seen for more than 65 million years. By the way, does anyone know what dinosaurs eat? Better get the rangers ready!”
After your voice is sore from roaring, guests are invited to journey around the dino area to find clues and collect a prize, whilst visitors (who haven’t been eaten) can complete the day (or start it before their adventure begins) with lots of family fun in the Adventure Park, with attractions including a: 9-Hole Footgolf Course, Pedal Go-Karts, Off-Road Pedal Tractors, Giant Sand Pit, Kid’s Pedal Tractor Farm, Springers, Giant Jump Pillow, Trampolines, Swings, Balance Beams, Rope Bridge and so much more!
Are you brave enough to step into our pre-historic world? We promise, nothing will Triceratop-it!
Find out more and book tickets here, or visit the Conifox Adventure Park Facebook page @conifoxadventurepark and website.
The report reiterates the need to eliminate the digital exclusion of children and young people for good, and sets out a 10-point action plan to ensure that all have an opportunity to access the benefits of the digital world, both to ensure their right to education and for the sake of their wellbeing.
Closing the Digital Divide for Goodnotes the increased awareness of digital exclusion during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in light of the shift to remote learning, and commends the rapid responses put in place to get more children and young people online.
However, the report also underlines the need for a continued focus on digital inclusion, to ensure that learning from the crisis period is maximised, and that a long-term strategic approach is put in place, given that challenges remain.
The 10 recommended actions include implementing a co-production process to develop a nationally agreed definition for digital inclusion, recognising that a device, suitable connection, skills and a safe online environment are essential components.
The report also calls for regular measurement of the levels of digital inclusion amongst children and young people, and the development of proactive solutions such as working with teachers and education staff to identify gaps in skills and revising teacher training requirements and curricula accordingly.
If you have any questions or would like to discuss further, please feel free to contact Anna Grant (Senior Policy and Development Officer, Carnegie UK Trust) via anna.grant@carnegieuk.org.
FACENorth (Focusing on Alternatives to Crime Edinburgh North) will be continuing with their regular service throughout the summer holidays, providing 1:1, crisis and family support and help with employment and training.
Have a look below to see the activities that’ll be offered and don’t miss the chance to participate!
The Scottish Government has unveiled a new online learning resource to help school staff support young people’s mental health.
Staff can learn more about factors influencing mental health and wellbeing; prevention-based approaches in schools and tips on how to end mental health stigma and discrimination.
The Mental Health Foundation, Children in Scotland and training provider Digital Bricks developed the resource that is open to all school staff in primary, secondary and special schools.
Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “Children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing is of vital importance and this resource is a significant addition to the suite of resources that school staff can access. It will provide essential learning and knowledge on mental health and wellbeing that schools can adopt and embed across all aspects of the school environment.
“Although aimed primarily at school staff, it can also be accessed and used by anyone who wants to learn more about mental health and how to support children and young people.”
Councillor Stephen McCabe, COSLA spokesperson for Children and Young People, said: “The mental health and wellbeing of our children and young people must be a priority as we recover from the Covid-19 pandemic and beyond.
“Ensuring those working with young people, in all capacities, have access to resources that develop their understanding of, and equip them to appropriately support mental health would be crucial; I welcome this comprehensive resource providing training and information for all school staff.”
If you have a minor injury please call 111 free to be referred to the right service.
They will arrange an appointment if you need to attend hospital. Or, if appropriate, they can schedule an appointment for a confidential assessment by video call with a Nurse practitioner.
Best-selling Amazon products display evidence of fake and incentivised review practices, Which? finds
Best-selling products and brands on Amazon Marketplace display reviews from buyers saying they have been offered vouchers, freebies and money in exchange for posting five-star reviews and removing negative ones as the tech giant fails to adequately protect shoppers from fake and incentivised review practices, a Which? investigation has revealed.
The consumer champion looked at dozens of popular products and brands on Amazon Marketplace and by using search terms such as ‘bribe’ and ‘incentive’ found repeated evidence of customers reporting that sellers had approached them with a view to manipulating the rating they left for the product.
Ahead of Amazon Prime Day 2021 (21 and 22 June), when many subscribers will be looking to grab themselves a bargain in the sales, Which? looked at Amazon ‘Best Sellers’ – lists of the most popular products based on sales – on the online marketplace’s website.
Five of the nine Amazon Best Sellers product categories that Which? analysed showed repeated evidence of incentivisation – smartwatches, dash cams, Bluetooth speakers, in-ear headphones and surveillance video equipment.
Twelve products (24%) across the top 10 best sellers in those five categories had reviews from customers stating they were being asked to post five-star reviews or alter or remove their negative feedback.
Several reported being chased via email to do so, while others said they were sent cards alongside their products requesting positive reviews in exchange for vouchers or free gifts. Seven (58%) of those items were Amazon’s Choice listings – the platform’s coveted recommendation label that is influenced by high ratings.
One customer told Which? he could not believe the persistence of one seller in trying to get his negative product review on Amazon changed or deleted – suggesting it is highly lucrative for sellers to do so.
Tim Winkle, 64, purchased a Teaisiy USB webcam last year and gave it a two-star review due to its poor quality. The third-party seller behind the product then emailed him asking him to alter or delete his negative review in return for a £10 gift voucher. After he refused, he then received a series of other offers by email over three months, reaching a peak of £50.
Which? also dug deeper into the brands whose listings included accusations of incentivised reviews and found 12 ‘repeat offenders’ where sellers were called out for using similar manipulative tactics across other products in their ranges.
It was not clear in some cases whether these sellers were acting independently or on behalf of the brand.
The problem was reported most prominently on Victure products, with 11 of its 29 (38%) product listings containing accusations of incentivisation tactics. These items included a baby monitor, wi-fi booster and wireless security cameras.
Victure, alongside Enacfire, are two brands that have also featured in previous Which? investigations as a result of suspicious review activity, and it is concerning that the brands are appearing repeatedly, despite Which? reporting its findings to Amazon.
This latest investigation comes after reports in May 2021 that Amazon had taken action to suspend the selling privileges of major tech suppliers Aukey and Mpow.
Which? found numerous examples of people writing negative reviews on Amazon to shine a light on unscrupulous behaviour from sellers. Three Peztio webcam buyers stated that the seller had offered them £40 to delete their negative reports of the product, which had an overall rating of 4.2 out of five stars.
One Peztio customer said they thought the seller was “clearly more interested in editing the public record than … improving their product.”
Many other customers gave five-star reviews alongside confessions about their motivation for doing so. One ASWEE listing for a smartwatch had two reviews from people stating they had been sent a prompt to write a great review in exchange for a £15 voucher. One went as far as to say: “the only reason I have posted five stars is because I want my £15 voucher as compensation.”
A number of Victure customers said that they had been offered complimentary gifts in exchange for five-star reviews, including an SD card.
Misleading reviews are a big problem on many of the world’s biggest platforms and Which? has also previously uncovered evidence of fake and suspicious review activity on eBay, Facebook and Google. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) announced its investigation into major websites that host reviews in May 2020. Yet more than a year on it appears Amazon is still falling at the first hurdle by failing to stop review manipulation on some of its best-selling products.
Amazon has a specific Anti-Manipulation policy for customer reviews stating that any attempts to manipulate reviews, including by directly or indirectly contributing false, misleading or inauthentic content, is “strictly prohibited.” The platform said that if it determines a seller or brand has attempted to manipulate reviews, it may immediately “suspend or terminate your Amazon privileges, remove reviews, and delist related products.”
Which? believes that stronger action is needed to address the ongoing problems caused by misleading reviews on online marketplaces and other platforms.
The consumer champion is calling for the CMA’s investigation to quickly get to the bottom of the problem of fake and misleading reviews. If it finds that sites that host reviews are not doing enough to detect and prevent misleading reviews, then strong action must be taken to prevent increasing numbers of consumers from being misled.
Rocio Concha, Director of Policy and Advocacy at Which?, said:“It’s really concerning that consumers are raising the alarm on misleading tactics by sellers being used on best-selling Amazon products – particularly at a time when more people are shopping online than ever before because of the pandemic.
“Amazon must, as an absolute minimum, do more to enforce its own policies – especially when evidence of manipulation is hidden in plain sight in its Best Sellers lists.
“The CMA needs to urgently get to the bottom of the problem of misleading and fake reviews and be prepared to take strong action to ensure consumers can trust the reviews that influence billions of pounds of spending every year.”
The 12 brands Which? found with more than one product impacted by incentivised reviews:
Anker
Apeman
ASWEE
Enacfire
Littlelf
Peztio
Popglory
Tozo
Wansview
Willful
Victure
Zhuolang
Tim Winkle, 64, bought a Teaisiy USB webcamin June 2020 so he could attend video conference meetings via Zoom.
He spotted the reviews on Amazon looked ‘very good’ but also noticed there ‘were some lower reviews’ as well but opted to purchase the webcam anyway.
When the product arrived, Tim found the quality was ‘very poor’ and therefore returned the webcam directly to Amazon. Tim ‘promptly’ received his money back and left a two-star review outlining his experience with the product.
In February 2021, Tim began receiving emails from the seller requesting that he delete his negative review in exchange for an Amazon gift card worth £10. When he refused this, the seller then offered Tim a £15 voucher, followed by £20, £30, £40 and £50 all of which he rejected.
The seller assured Tim it had ‘changed to another manufacturer’ to ensure the item’s quality improved and told him it was a ‘very small business that depends on reviews’ and would ‘not survive without [his] help.’
Tim said he had ‘no idea’ reviews could be manipulated in this manner.
His review of the Teaisiy webcam, as well as the listing for the item itself has since been removed from Amazon.
Advice to consumers:
Be more sceptical of brands you haven’t heard of. While some of the companies may well be honest start-ups, others attempt to take shortcuts to the top of the listings. Overwhelmingly, our research into fake reviews has found little-known or unknown brands being the main culprits. If you don’t recognise the brand, check online to see if it has a legitimate looking website, with clear contact details so you can get in touch if anything goes wrong.
Don’t just trust the overall star rating. Inspecting the comments can save you time (and money) in the long run. Although an item could have high overall reviews, there may be signs of incentivisation or other suspicious activity when you dig a little deeper. These can include: overly positive language that reads like an infomercial, and a wide selection of pictures – Which?’s investigations have found this is a common request from sellers who incentivise positive reviews.
Check the less positive reviews. Those who attempt to incentivise reviews commonly ask for five-stars, so it’s far more useful to look at four star reviews and below. Keep your eyes peeled for complaints about the item failing over time, problems specific to a particular feature that many reviewers are reporting, and signs of incentivisation – such as an offer of a reward for posting a good review. You can use the search bar to check for specific keywords if you want to dig deeper.
A spokesperson for Amazon told Which?: “Our objective is to ensure customers see authentic and relevant reviews so they can make better informed purchasing decisions. To do this, we use powerful machine learning tools and skilled investigators to analyse over 10m review submissions weekly, aiming to stop abusive reviews before they are ever published.
“In addition, we continue to monitor all existing reviews for signs of abuse and quickly take action if we find an issue. We are relentless in our efforts to protect the integrity of customer reviews. We remove fake reviews and take action against anyone involved in abuse. We have won dozens of injunctions against providers of fake reviews across Europe and we won’t shy away from taking legal action.
They added, however, that Amazon and other online retailers ‘cannot do this alone. Customers need to be able to trust the reviews they see online and the systematic manipulation of reviews needs consistent enforcement and global coordination with stronger enforcement powers given to regulators against bad actors.
‘We continue to work to protect the authenticity of customer reviews. We advise customers who doubt the credibility of a review on a product to click the Report Abuse link available below each review. We will then investigate and take necessary measures.’
An Enacfire spokesperson said:‘I saw the reviews and [am] feeling very upset. It is absolutely damaging to our brand image. We will perform an internal investigation towards our distributors and external to those who [are] selling Enacfire products but not in our distributors list. The punishment [will] be stopping supplies to them.
‘By becoming one of our distributors and selling Enacfire products [on] Amazon, we require all of our distributors to obey all the policies from Amazon. The behavior was conducted by Amazon sellers who sell Enacfire products and our brand does not support the behavior of review manipulation, which seems to be a common problem with Amazon.’
A spokesperson for Wansview said: ‘We appreciate it that you informed us about the reviews that violate Amazon’s review policy. It is of great help to us to enhance our brand image.
‘We’ve known about the reviews you mentioned since January 2021 and have already discussed [them] with the retailer. We got to know they offered their products to improve customer satisfaction [and] to help increase the listing ratings. Due to [their] lack of policy learning, the retailer’s behaviour has violated Amazon’s policy and may mislead consumers’ brand recognition. After checking the review content, we have requested them to carefully study the Amazon policy and learn the latest Amazon rules. We urged them [to] stop such kind of review maintenance behaviour.’
‘As the brand owner, we have the responsibility to request our retailers [to] obey each platform’s selling rules and maintain consumers’ brand recognition. We will strictly request all the retailers who sell Wansview’s products to carefully study the Amazon rules immediately, and if they do not obey the policy, we will cancel their distributorship of Wansview branded items.
‘On the other hand, as the brand owner, we could improve our products’ quality to help the retailer gain customer satisfaction, offering good products and good customer support earns consumers brand stickiness. Thanks again for your email to help us regulate our retail rules and Wansview’s brand image.’
