How to gracefully handle competitor mudslinging
My side project [1] has recently started to grow so I took out a few Google Ads on companies in the same space. One of them recently left a review in the App Store calling my app a cheap ripoff of his product (the iOS handle matched the company's CEO's instagram handle). I'm still only at 20 reviews including from one family member who uses my app, so the mark looks kinda bad.
I've been thinking long and hard what recourse would look the best and generally be the best for my app. Should I respond to his review? Should I try to be nice? Should I ignore it?
Sincere thanks for any insight! I've learned so much from HN.
[1] https://getcho.app
My attitude has always been that I don't have competitors, my customers simply have other choices. Even if the businesses are in competition, my relationship with the people who provide those other choices is not adversarial - if anything, we are potential future partners. If my customers aren't sticking with my product, then I don't blame competitors... I acknowledge that I have missed a need, and someone else is doing it better.
In this case, when someone is being aggressive, I'd just ignore it. Let the market have their say on which product is the better solution without getting into public conflict over it.
If taking out Google ads on other companies in the space means what I assume it means, the bad review sorta lives in the same business ethics space of what can be gotten away with. And now you know. Good luck.
Take the high road. Thank them for the review and that you consider constructive criticism from all users to help improve the app. Focus on the product, not the noise of cheap shots.
so I took out a few Google Ads on companies in the same space
This is considered an aggressive move. My guess is their CEO thinks he is responding in kind
Respond to review politely and move on. Just make your app the best it can be and focus on the customers you have.
I looked at your app, nice idea. How are you better / different than the others in the same space?
Are you faster or cheaper or better coverage?
The worst thing I see about the competitor is he left their name in the comments so I could look them up.