Asking your customers for reviews is allowed, and even recommended. But three sets of rules govern how you do it: the French Consumer Code, enforced by the DGCCRF (the French consumer protection authority); Google’s rules for reviews published on Maps and in Search; and the rules on marketing messages when you ask customers by text message or e-mail. Breaking them exposes you to criminal penalties, administrative fines and the removal of your reviews.
This article is general information, not legal advice. If in doubt about your situation, consult a lawyer.
What is prohibited
The French Consumer Code lists several review-related practices among commercial practices that are misleading in all circumstances: the DGCCRF does not need to prove that a consumer was actually misled to impose a penalty.
| Practice | Why it is prohibited |
|---|---|
| Posting or having someone post fake reviews (yourself, an employee, a relative, a provider) | Fake consumer review: a misleading practice, and fake engagement for Google |
| Offering something in exchange for a review (discount, gift, prize draw, perk) | The review is no longer spontaneous; Google explicitly forbids it, including to get a negative review removed or changed |
| Asking only satisfied customers (“review gating”) | Reviews are distorted; Google forbids discouraging negative reviews or selectively soliciting positive ones |
| Showing only good reviews on your website without saying so | Distorted reviews and lack of fair information about published reviews |
| Presenting reviews as “verified” without a verification process | Misleading claim about where reviews come from |
| Having employees write reviews, or setting them review quotas | Conflict of interest and pressure forbidden by Google’s rules |
Beware of tools that filter reviews
Some review collection tools work like this: after a purchase, they ask the customer for a rating. If they give 4 or 5 stars, they are sent to Google to post their review; otherwise, their review stays “internal”, visible only to the business.
That is precisely review gating:
- Google forbids it: its rules prohibit discouraging negative reviews or selectively soliciting positive ones. Reviews obtained this way can be removed and the profile penalised.
- In France, it is a high-risk practice: by only letting satisfied customers publish, the business distorts reviews and gives a misleading picture of real satisfaction. The business is liable first, even if it is the tool that filters.
Collecting criticism internally is a good idea, as long as it is not used to sort customers: the same link to Google must be offered to everyone, whatever their rating. Before choosing a review collection tool, check that it asks no satisfaction question before sending customers to Google.
Showing reviews on your website: the transparency duty
Since 2018, anyone who collects, moderates or displays consumer reviews, even as a side activity, must give “fair, clear and transparent” information on how they are handled (article L. 111-7-2 of the French Consumer Code and decree of 29 September 2017). This applies if you display your Google reviews on your website, in a banner or a widget.
In practice, next to the reviews shown, state:
- where they come from (for example: Google reviews);
- their date;
- the order in which they are listed (newest first, for example);
- whether they are verified, and how; if not, say so;
- the criteria that decide whether a review is shown.
The simplest and safest option: show recent reviews without filtering by rating, with a link to all your reviews on Google.
Asking for reviews: what is allowed
Asking your customers is legitimate, on four conditions:
- Ask all your customers, satisfied or not, with no preliminary question like “Were you satisfied?” that would sort the answers.
- Offer nothing in return, before or after the review.
- Lead straight to the review form, with no intermediate step that filters.
- By text or e-mail, only write to customers who agreed to be contacted or with whom you have an existing business relationship, always with an easy way to opt out (STOP keyword, unsubscribe link). Your customer file is also subject to the GDPR.
Also avoid sudden waves of reviews, like 50 reviews in a week after months of calm: Google detects unusual patterns and may discard those reviews.
The penalties
Criminal penalties. Misleading commercial practices are punishable in France by two years’ imprisonment and a €300,000 fine (article L. 132-2). The fine can be raised to 10% of average annual turnover or 50% of the advertising spend on the practice. For a company, the maximum is multiplied by five.
Administrative penalties. The DGCCRF can impose administrative fines, for example for incomplete information on how reviews are handled, and make its penalties public. It regularly investigates online reviews (DGCCRF guidance, in French).
Google’s penalties. Google removes reviews that amount to fake engagement. It can also temporarily block new reviews on your profile and, in some countries, show a public warning that fake reviews were removed.
The reputational risk. A warning on your profile, or a penalty made public, costs more trust than a few well-handled negative reviews.
Checklist
- I ask all my customers for a review, with no filter or preliminary question.
- My collection tool does not send customers to Google depending on the rating they give.
- I offer nothing in return, not even to get a negative review changed.
- My employees and relatives do not post reviews about my business, and I set them no quota.
- Reviews shown on my website are not filtered by rating; their source, date and order are stated.
- My text and e-mail requests go to customers who agreed to them, with an easy way to opt out.
- I reply calmly to negative reviews, and only ask for removal of reviews that truly break the rules.
Our position: transparency is also the best strategy
Following these rules is not just a constraint. For us, it is the most effective way to build a lasting reputation. Six principles guide Replik:
- No filtering. Every customer is invited to give their opinion, satisfied or not. A rating obtained by setting aside unhappy customers is worthless: for your future customers and for you.
- Every review counts, positive and negative. Positive reviews show what works and deserve to be highlighted. Negative ones point to what can improve. Both are raw material.
- A fitting reply to every review. Sincerely thanking a happy customer, answering criticism calmly and precisely: every reply is read by everyone who discovers your profile.
- Continuous improvement. Reviews reveal recurring irritants, such as waiting times, welcome or price. Fixing them raises your rating far more surely than any filter.
- No deception of consumers. Future customers must be able to trust what they read: no fake reviews, no hidden selection, no incentives.
- A free, honest and human voice. The review belongs to the customer, who gives it for free. Your reply should match it: sincere, personal, never formulaic or aggressive.
Why a good reply beats a removed review
A negative review never stands alone: it is read with your reply, and next to your other reviews. A well-built reply, factual and courteous, acknowledging what must be acknowledged and explaining the rest, reduces the impact of the criticism. Against an unfair complaint, it can even have the opposite effect: readers compare the tone of both messages, see a serious business, and the review loses credibility.
Replies to positive reviews play this role too. Personal thanks that echo what the customer enjoyed make your strengths visible and show an attentive business. An isolated negative review, among warm and sincere exchanges, weighs far less.
This is the very opposite of filtering: instead of hiding criticism, you handle it in the open, and your reputation grows stronger. These principles are detailed on our commitments page.
How Replik helps you stay within the rules
- QR codes and review links: they lead straight to the Google form, with no satisfaction filter.
- Text-message collection (managed service): sent to the whole list provided, with a STOP keyword, spread out and capped to avoid waves.
- Review widget for your website: latest reviews with a comment, not filtered by rating, with their source stated and a link to all your reviews.
- Claims against abusive reviews: they only rely on grounds provided by Google’s rules; a genuine negative review is handled with a reply, not a removal request.
Frequently asked questions
Can I run a prize draw for customers who leave a review? No. A prize draw is an incentive: Google forbids it and the DGCCRF may consider the reviews not spontaneous.
Can I ask an unhappy customer to remove their review? You can reply, solve their problem and invite them to update their review if they wish. But offering anything in exchange for a removal or change is forbidden by Google.
Must I also show negative reviews on my website? If you show reviews, yes: selective display without saying so distorts reviews. You can show the most recent ones, whatever their rating, with a link to all your reviews.