MISSION DRIVEN E-COMMERCE REVIEWS WEBSITE REBRANDS AND ROLLS OUT NEW CONSUMER PROTECTIONS FOR AGE OF AI SHOPPING

Sitejabber becomes SmartCustomer to empower consumers in the era of AI shopping; enhances its review verification; launches ChatGPT app for savvy shoppers; and creates social forums to leverage community awareness of AI-powered scams

MENLO PARK, Calif., March 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Sitejabber, one of the leading independent websites for customer reviews of e-commerce businesses, is launching a robust suite of features to help protect online shoppers from fraud amidst the proliferation of AI-generated "fake" reviews and even fake businesses. As part of its website upgrades, the company will also rebrand to become SmartCustomer. Founded in 2006 with a grant from the National Science Foundation to increase online transparency between consumers and businesses, the company has collected nearly 25 million reviews and helped over 200 million online shoppers.

"The benefits and essential purpose of online reviews is that they are made by real customers who've patronized a real business," said Michael Lai, co-founder and CEO of SmartCustomer. "Though fraudulent reviews have always been an issue, the reality is that AI now makes it so easy to portray a business as something better than it actually is, and that includes flooding the internet with fake AI-generated reviews. We're redoubling our verification efforts as well as giving smart shoppers the tools they need to spot bad actors."

SmartCustomer will use a combination of new and improved scam-detecting protocols including analysis of user behavior on the site, AI-generated content detection in written reviews, photos and video, as well as third-party ID verification powered by Persona, a leader in online identity authentication. Additionally SmartCustomer will require verified proof-of-purchase for all reviews.

Though the power of AI can be used to trick unsuspecting customers, it can also be used to the benefit of savvy shoppers. As such SmartCustomer will also soon launch a first-of-its-kind app within ChatGPT that will allow users to ask detailed and specific questions about an online shopping experience, whereby ChatGPT will provide contextualized insights and suggestions based on reviews collected by SmartCustomer.

"We're on the precipice of a rapid transformation in how people will shop online, with AI agents assisting in personalized shopping recommendations, and actually making purchasing decisions. The quality and safety of that experience will depend on AI platforms having access to verified reviews made by human shoppers, and we have twenty years of data to support that effort," said Lai.

SmartCustomer will also moderate dedicated community spaces on Facebook and Reddit for learning and discussion about AI-powered shopping scams. "Trusted sources of online information have never been more important and community forums that are gated and moderated remain essential to sharing relevant human experiences," said Lai.

SOURCE SmartCustomer