I created a fake business and bought it an online reputation • Hacker News Board

Re: I created a fake business and bought it an online reputation

#111

Post by devgutt » Thu, Sep 17, 2015, 2:57 PM UTC

wanderfowl wrote: post #70

If you're a street musician setting up to play with an open instrument case, it's pretty important to "seed the pot" by throwing a few dollars and some change into the case. Not because you make any money from your own "donation", but because it shows passers-by what the arrangement is, and adds an element of social pressure ("Somebody donated, so I should too!"). I can see this as similar. There's something pathetic…

But you also could do an extra effort to impress a small number of customers and ask for reviews personally. Buy fake reviews is not the only option here.

Re: I created a fake business and bought it an online reputation

#112

Post by johnward » Thu, Sep 17, 2015, 3:01 PM UTC

wpietri wrote: post #98

Retra wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I was thinking a penny, but that makes so much more sense.

As far as I know, it's not something people say in real life, just a funny turn of phrase; "a Benjamin" is the only common use of a president's name for the denomination.

I'd be willing to bet a Washington that no one in real life uses the term Lincoln.

Re: I created a fake business and bought it an online reputation

#113

Post by savanaly » Thu, Sep 17, 2015, 3:15 PM UTC

wpietri wrote: post #98

Retra wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I was thinking a penny, but that makes so much more sense.

As far as I know, it's not something people say in real life, just a funny turn of phrase; "a Benjamin" is the only common use of a president's name for the denomination.

Friendly correction that Benjamin Franklin was not a president, your point stands though.

Re: I created a fake business and bought it an online reputation

#114

Post by gk1 » Thu, Sep 17, 2015, 3:20 PM UTC

icedchai wrote: post #108

This puts most corporate marketing departments to shame.

Why?

Re: I created a fake business and bought it an online reputation

#115

Post by quadrangle » Thu, Sep 17, 2015, 3:21 PM UTC

wpietri wrote: post #98

Retra wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I was thinking a penny, but that makes so much more sense.

As far as I know, it's not something people say in real life, just a funny turn of phrase; "a Benjamin" is the only common use of a president's name for the denomination.

Benjamin Franklin was never a President.

Re: I created a fake business and bought it an online reputation

#116

Post by pyre » Thu, Sep 17, 2015, 3:23 PM UTC

wanderfowl wrote: post #70

If you're a street musician setting up to play with an open instrument case, it's pretty important to "seed the pot" by throwing a few dollars and some change into the case. Not because you make any money from your own "donation", but because it shows passers-by what the arrangement is, and adds an element of social pressure ("Somebody donated, so I should too!"). I can see this as similar. There's something pathetic…

It's the same thing as posting a "tear off this phone number" page on a bulletin board. You always tear off a tab or two when you first post it, to make it look like people have shown interest.

Re: I created a fake business and bought it an online reputation

#117

Post by icedchai » Thu, Sep 17, 2015, 3:25 PM UTC

gk1 wrote: post #114

icedchai wrote: post #108

This puts most corporate marketing departments to shame.

Why?

I mean, if it wasn't all fake traffic... if he did this "for real", it would put them to shame... heh

Re: I created a fake business and bought it an online reputation

#118

Post by hashmymustache » Thu, Sep 17, 2015, 3:29 PM UTC

matthewmacleod wrote: post #11

This site brought up at lease two separate overlay popups while attempting to read it. I don't usually complain about this, but that's totally obnoxious and meant I didn't finish reading the article. Is there a good method to block this aggressively user-unfriendly bullshit?

I use BehindTheOverlay on Chrome.

Re: I created a fake business and bought it an online reputation

#119

Post by logn » Thu, Sep 17, 2015, 3:38 PM UTC

kevindeasis wrote: post #55

Paul Graham said that if there is alot of potential energy from a broken system there must be a way to monetize it. Really, it seems like someone can make a startup to verify the company and reviews. In fact, why dont we all open source this thing.

I've thought this would be a good new feature for Stripe. After payment, allow user to leave a review. Then you know the person bought the product.

Re: I created a fake business and bought it an online reputation

#120

Post by throwaway1967 » Thu, Sep 17, 2015, 3:42 PM UTC

nkrisc wrote: post #107

degenerate wrote: post #76

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They also don't have a "report this post" button anywhere to allow people to flag spam or illegal activity. That would at least be something they could do...

Great point. If they won't actively police their sellers at least they could let visitors volunteer to do so through such a feature.

Yes, and if the police won't actively police every square foot where there are people, they could at least let citizens do so through concealed carry of a weapon.

And yet, somehow, there's a large group of people that is always for people meddling in other people's business by telling on them (including calling the police when they see a citizen legally open-carrying!).

It must be because laissez faire is not easy to spell.