Consumer Agency: "Delivery Platforms Need to Improve Star Rating-Based Review Systems"

Insufficient Guidance on Review Writing
Star Rating Distortion by Event Participants

Concerns have been raised about the need to improve the star rating-based review system currently used by delivery platforms. The main reasons are insufficient guidance on precautions when writing reviews and the potential distortion of star ratings due to review events. Additionally, although recent delivery platforms have established measures to block false reviews to protect merchants from malicious reviews, the criteria for blocking are vague, leading to increased consumer dissatisfaction.

Some Platforms Lack Guidance on Review Writing Precautions

The Korea Consumer Agency announced on the 23rd that it confirmed these issues after investigating the review operation status and consumer perceptions of three major delivery platforms. The platforms surveyed were Baedal Minjok, Yogiyo, and Coupang Eats. Regarding review events, the investigation targeted the top 20 restaurants with the highest star ratings in chicken, bossam & jokbal, and Chinese cuisine categories, totaling 240 restaurants. Additionally, the consumer survey was conducted with 1,000 people who had used delivery platforms in the past year, according to the Consumer Agency.

The investigation found that the three delivery platforms provided insufficient guidance on review writing principles. Some platforms did not provide any precautions on the review writing screen (Yogiyo, Coupang Eats), while others provided guidance at the bottom of the screen (Baedal Minjok). The Consumer Agency pointed out, "Not all consumers check the terms and conditions before writing reviews," and emphasized that "it is effective to provide guidance on precautions at the top of the review writing screen so that users can check them before writing a review."

Blocking Malicious Reviews, but Consumer Complaints Increase

Currently, delivery platforms have made improvements by specifying deletion or temporary action criteria for malicious reviews in their terms and conditions according to self-regulation measures, and by adopting consumer review policies reflecting international standards (ISO 20488). However, consumer complaints related to review blocking continue to be raised.

In fact, according to the 1372 Consumer Counseling Center, a total of 411 consumer complaints related to delivery platform reviews were received over the past three years (2021?2023). Among the types of complaints, dissatisfaction with the platforms' terms and conditions regarding review or account blocking accounted for the largest share at 58.6% (241 cases). This was followed by 'verbal abuse or threats by merchants via phone, text, comments, or visits' at 19.5% (80 cases), and 'requests for review deletion' at 8.0% (33 cases).

The three delivery platforms take temporary measures on consumer reviews based on the Information and Communications Network Act, which stipulates that if a rights infringement claimant proves the fact and requests deletion, the information and communication service provider must delete or temporarily act on the post. Temporary measures under this law are designed to block access temporarily when it is difficult for the business operator to judge infringement or when disputes between interested parties are expected due to the nature of the rights-infringing information. Accordingly, while these measures can prevent damage to merchants caused by malicious reviews, the Consumer Agency pointed out concerns that honest evaluations regarding food quality (taste) or delivery, which do not violate review writing principles, may also be blocked.

More Than Half of Restaurant Reviews Are Event-Driven

In a consumer survey of delivery platform users within the past year, 73.4% responded that they refer to reviews extensively when selecting restaurants or menus. However, among 77.3% who ordered food through delivery platforms, 65.2% (504 people) cited participation in 'review events' as a reason. Moreover, most of these respondents (98.3%, 394 people) admitted that they rated higher than their actual satisfaction.

In the consumer survey, 63.0% (630 people) said that the current star rating-based review system adopted by delivery platforms needs improvement. The most preferred improvement was a 'reorder rate-based review system' (48.9%, 308 people), which displays reorder rates as information necessary for selecting restaurants.

Based on the results of this investigation, the Consumer Agency plans to recommend to the surveyed businesses the following: ▲improvement of the star rating-based review system ▲indication of participation in review events for reviews written after participating in such events ▲and allowing users to modify their written reviews.