customer ratings and reviews: businesses who put their fingers on the scale

why is the minimum customer rating 1 star? why aren't there 5 "thumbs down" too?
answer: because businesses pay for customer reviews.

there are other ways that businesses put their fingers on the scale:

• when owners rate their own business
• when the owners' relatives and friends rate their business
• when the owner's employees rate their employer
• when owners offer incentives to employees for good reviews

so,

• should the minimum score on a customer rating be 1 star?
• should owners or their relatives or employees be allowed to put their fingers on the scale?

answer: no--not if it's an honest rating.

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