it is increasingly clear that many postings on blogs and product reviews on websites are fake or are posted there to manipulate consumers’

opinions. For example, a mini-scandal erupted in 2007 when the press learned that the ceo of Whole Foods had regularly been blasting competitor Wild oats on blogs under a pseudonym. 168 how big a problem is this if consumers are increasingly looking to consumer-generated product reviews to guide their purchase decisions? What steps, if any, can marketers take to nip this problem in the bud?