How a resold dirty diaper on Amazon destroyed family business
Beau & Belle Littles, a family business owned by Paul and Rachelle Baron, has fallen into $600,000 (₹5 crore) of debt following a damaging one-star review on Amazon. The review, posted in 2020, claimed that a feces-stained swim diaper was resold as new. Over 100 buyers marked the negative review as "helpful," amplifying its visibility on the product page. Despite numerous five-star reviews for their product, this single negative review significantly impacted the business' financial health.
Amazon declined to remove damaging review earlier
The negative review, written by Erin Elizabeth Herbert, stated, "The diaper arrived used and was covered in poop stains," and included pictures as evidence. Amazon's policy prohibits reviews that violate community guidelines, focusing on seller or shipping feedback rather than product quality. However, despite the Barons's request for removal and Herbert's intention to revise her review after being contacted by the Barons, Amazon declined to remove it. The review remained online until recently and negatively influenced potential customers' purchasing decisions.
Business struggles amid negative publicity
The Barons, once an Amazon success story, are now considering bankruptcy. They have taken on other jobs since the review was posted to make ends meet. Paul Baron emphasized the impact such incidents can have on small businesses like theirs, saying, "Shoppers might think returning a poopy diaper to Amazon is a victimless way to get their money back, but we're a small family business, and this is how we pay our mortgage."
Amazon expresses regret, encourages sellers to reach out
Amazon's Spokesperson Maria Boschetti expressed regret over the situation. She stated, "We are sorry to hear that a seller feels their return was not evaluated correctly and resulted in a negative review." Despite this, she suggested there was little that could be done now. Boschetti encouraged sellers with concerns about reviews or other issues to reach out for assistance. This comes amid complaints from other sellers regarding Amazon's failure to remove reviews that clearly violate community guidelines.
Damaging review finally removed
The Barons confirmed yesterday that the damaging review had finally been removed from Amazon. However, the impact of the negative publicity continues to affect their business. Despite removal of the review, they continue to face challenges in restoring their business' reputation and regaining customer trust.
