From BNET blogger Lori Deschene comes a report that about a third of polled "influential customers" think that user reviews are fake, planted by the very companies that are supposed to be under review.
... companies rely on online reputation management resources to stack the user review deck in their favor — essentially hiding negative feedback. According to a new study, some of the most influential consumers believe companies are guilty of manipulating reviews through other means, as well.

PR firm Burson-Marsteller surveyed 1,000 influential consumers and found that an increasing number of them believe fake reviews and positive comments left by corporations are prevalent and problematic. The study revealed that 30 percent of consumers are concerned, up from 20 percent in 2001. Fifty-seven percent said they’d be less likely to buy a product if they suspected the company paid someone to leave a positive review.
Check out the original blog post here.