What evidence to include in a review

A review makes a claim. Money was lost. Service failed. Delivery never arrived. Or everything worked exactly as promised. The claim may be true. It may be important. But without evidence, it floats. Readers hesitate. Brands dismiss it. Platforms struggle to act. What remains is an opinion competing with other opinions, none strong enough to shape behavior.

Evidence is what turns a review from expression into record. It does not exist to shame sellers or to impress readers. It exists to make the experience legible to people who were not there. In environments where formal dispute resolution is slow or unreliable, evidence inside reviews becomes a substitute for process. It allows strangers to learn without paying the same price.

The most basic evidence is transactional detail. What was purchased. How much was paid. When payment was made. Through which channel. Mobile money reference numbers, bank transfer confirmations, order IDs, or invoice numbers anchor the story in time. These details do not need to expose sensitive information. Partial references are enough. What matters is traceability. It signals that the interaction was real and specific.

Communication records add depth. Screenshots of chats, emails, or messages show how the seller behaved over time. Not just the promise, but the follow up. The delay. The excuse. The silence. These patterns matter more than a single moment. A seller who responds politely once but disappears later tells a different story than one who communicates consistently. Evidence captures that difference.

Delivery evidence clarifies responsibility. Photos of received items. Packaging condition. Dates of arrival. Or proof that delivery never happened. This matters because many disputes live in ambiguity. Was the item damaged before shipping. Was it never sent. Did the buyer refuse delivery. Evidence reduces speculation. It replaces argument with sequence.

For services, evidence looks different but serves the same purpose. Appointment confirmations. Service timelines. Promised outcomes versus delivered results. Records of follow up attempts. Missed commitments documented calmly and clearly. Services are harder to photograph, but they still leave traces. Reviews that reference those traces feel grounded.

Payment related evidence deserves care. Never publish full card numbers, PINs, or sensitive credentials. Redaction is part of credibility. A reviewer who protects themselves while presenting proof appears responsible. Recklessness with personal data weakens trust and shifts attention away from the issue being reported.

Evidence does not require uploading everything publicly. Sometimes simply stating that records exist is enough. “Payment made on March 12 via mobile money. Reference available.” This tells readers and platforms that the claim can be verified if needed. It raises the cost of dismissal.

What evidence should not include is speculation about intent. You cannot prove what someone planned. You can prove what happened. Stick to that. Evidence loses power when mixed with accusation. Let the facts do the work. They usually do.

The goal of evidence in a review is not punishment. It is clarity. It allows patterns to emerge across multiple reviews. It helps platforms detect abuse. It helps honest businesses identify failures. It helps future customers avoid preventable loss.

In systems where enforcement struggles to keep up, documentation becomes a form of civic participation. Writing a review with evidence is not about winning an argument. It is about leaving a trail. One that others can follow safely.