Why Sunday Riley Deserves More than a Slap on the Wrist
If you haven’t heard, Sunday Riley, “the science-based skincare” brand, has been caught in a big lie. From 2015 to 2017, Sunday Riley posted fake reviews of their products online.
Now there’s good news and bad news. Good news: when an email telling employees to write raving reviews for products was leaked, the Federal Trade Commission wasted no time investigating the company. Bad news: the case was settled last week and the FTC basically told Sunday Riley to not write fake reviews anymore. That’s it.
Sephora’s response to customer complaints on fake reviews, via Vox
I suffer from acne. It is truly the bane of my existence, and I have tried literally everything on the market to clear it up. So, when I read reviews of Sunday Riley products on Sephora, I was blown away. I mean, these reviews were glowing (unlike my skin). I had to try this brand for myself…even if it meant shelling out 80 bucks for one product.
Sunday Riley products via @Skingrammer
Lo and behold, in the email sent to employees, the company stated they needed to make their reviews as relatable as possible. “Like you know how hard acne is and you’ve tried everything, and this one actually works…” The company also stated if employees find negative reviews: dislike them.
Beginning of email Sunday Riley sent to its employees asking them to do fake reviews, via Buzzfeed
Uh. WTF. They told employees to write how that one product cleared their skin when nothing else worked. And I read and believed their review, spent my own money on it…just to be lied to? And the company didn’t even get a fine?? Oh, and spoiler alert: the product did nothing.
Sunday Riley claims the fake reviews were only a drop in the bucket compared to the genuine reviews left by customers. But if their products are “so good”: why lie? Their punishment (if we can even call it that) isn’t enough. I, and others I’m sure, rely on reviews to decide what to spend my money on. I don’t believe this slap on the wrist will make Sunday Riley stop writing fake reviews, and this sends a message to other companies. It says that they can get away with duping their customers to make more money, and the punishment will be minimal.
Do you trust Sunday Riley and would you still buy their products? Let me know in the comments bellow.
Cover image via engadget