AFNOR, or the French Association for Standardization, is an organization that publishes standards to regulate various processes and practices.
In recent years, consumer reviews have played a central role in online purchasing decisions. Consumers' trust in these reviews largely depends on the transparency and reliability of how they're managed.
To address this need, AFNOR (French Association for Standardization) published the NF Z74-501 standard in 2013, which regulates the process of collecting, moderating, and publishing online reviews in France. This standard, now replaced by the ISO 20488:2018 standard, applies internationally and imposes strict criteria that Verified Reviews is committed to upholding. We undergo annual audits to ensure transparency and impartiality in reviews.
Importance of this standard
Guarantee of transparency and quality |
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The AFNOR standard sets requirements to ensure quality information, prevent misleading practices, and guarantee the fair and transparent consideration of every customer review. All reviews, whether positive or negative, are published as long as they meet the standard's defined criteria. |
Rigorous moderation and handling processes |
Moderation processes ensure consumers' freedom of expression, provide a right of reply to merchants, and allow specific review flagging cases as defined by the standard and Verified Reviews' rules. Moderation follows a strict process, including in-depth analysis and a discussion space between the brand and the consumer if necessary. |
Strict compliance with AFNOR requirements |
Any manipulation or abusive deletion of reviews is prohibited and technically impossible. Reviews can only be refused for reasons defined by AFNOR, such as inappropriate content, personal information, or false information. |
Benefits and value of review handling and moderation
For brands and businesses, the AFNOR standard guarantees that only constructive and relevant reviews will be published!
This helps to prevent defamation, spam, or false statements, while respecting consumers' freedom of expression. Consumers benefit from an enhanced and secure shopping experience.
At Verified Reviews, review flagging requests are reviewed by a moderation team following a strict procedure. Only reviews meeting the criteria allowed by the standard can be rejected. Consumers are informed if their review is rejected and have the opportunity to submit a new one, reformulating it if necessary to meet the criteria.
The AFNOR standard is a mark of seriousness and transparency for online customer reviews. Based on this framework, Verified Reviews ensures brands and consumers an impartial review handling process that complies with the highest standards, fostering trust and credibility in commercial relationships.