3rd party reviews are seen as more useful than reviews in seller-owned platforms because they're impartial. The moment you monetize, that impartiality is gone.

3rd party reviews are seen as more useful than reviews in seller-owned platforms because they're impartial. The moment you monetize, that impartiality is gone. There's a perverse incentive to make the product look more attractive so that more people will buy. Maybe you aren't the type that does that, but users can't be arsed to consider the integrity of every blog they read. The safer/easier bet is to assume that when money is involved, we are being lied to for money.