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Seller_P85u3WAAnD3kQ

The way Amazon weighs product reviews DOES NOT MAKE SENSE

I have a product with a 4.7 rating from 106 reviews.

Customer leaves a 1 star review, my rating goes down to 4.4 (107 reviews)

Then another customer leaves a 5 star review, my rating stays at 4.4. (108 reviews).

The customer that left the 1 star review has a review history of 3 items, all 1 star reviews. The customer that left the 5 star rating has 14 reviews with a variety of ratings. But Amazon will give more weight to the customer who has reviewed 3 things total and left them all 1 star reviews. Fine, that's not even what I'm complaining about.

The customer that left the 1 star review removed it when I refunded them. So now I'm at 107 reviews with a rating of 4.6. That means I lost 0.1 from a 5 star review?? When that 1 star customer removed their review, I should have gone up to where I was (4.7), but then I also have a new 5 star review so my total should be at least 4.8 now. Instead it's down to 4.6.

A 5 star review made Amazon LOWER my product rating???

THIS MAKES NO SENSE

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17 replies
Tags:Product reviews
110
Reply
user profile
Seller_P85u3WAAnD3kQ

The way Amazon weighs product reviews DOES NOT MAKE SENSE

I have a product with a 4.7 rating from 106 reviews.

Customer leaves a 1 star review, my rating goes down to 4.4 (107 reviews)

Then another customer leaves a 5 star review, my rating stays at 4.4. (108 reviews).

The customer that left the 1 star review has a review history of 3 items, all 1 star reviews. The customer that left the 5 star rating has 14 reviews with a variety of ratings. But Amazon will give more weight to the customer who has reviewed 3 things total and left them all 1 star reviews. Fine, that's not even what I'm complaining about.

The customer that left the 1 star review removed it when I refunded them. So now I'm at 107 reviews with a rating of 4.6. That means I lost 0.1 from a 5 star review?? When that 1 star customer removed their review, I should have gone up to where I was (4.7), but then I also have a new 5 star review so my total should be at least 4.8 now. Instead it's down to 4.6.

A 5 star review made Amazon LOWER my product rating???

THIS MAKES NO SENSE

Tags:Product reviews
110
381 views
17 replies
Reply
0 replies
user profile
Seller_i6S8knzW6zU6Z

Hi @Seller_P85u3WAAnD3kQ,

According to the help pages (https://sellercentral.amazon.com/help/hub/reference/GJLMBS3YDUTJGLNT), Amazon's star rating system uses a machine learning model rather than a simple average. The model takes into account several factors such as how old the ratings are, whether they come from verified buyers, the trustworthiness of reviewers, and other factors.

This explains why your rating changes might not follow the mathematical average you'd expect. Also, offering refunds in exchange for review removal is against Amazon's policies (https://sellercentral.amazon.com/help/hub/reference/GE8SYAZUBGVFBHCH).

Best regards, Michael

45
user profile
Seller_LTNvvFJ2jqJOv

The ratings system is horrible in its entirety and needs to be overhauled. Amazon won't do it.

60
user profile
Seller_C014gz2CtNWhK

I hear you, the weight of a negative review holds more weight than a positive for some reason... Even if its just a rating with no review at all. I got a negative rating without a review on one product with over 100 reviews and it dropped by 0.3 pts, then had 4 x 5 star written reviews which didnt even make back the 0.3 lost from the 1 star rating with no review... it makes no sense.

20
user profile
Seller_kZUOCMBionnbv

Yes, it has consistently been a significant issue. If Amazon were to apply a positive rating to orders where buyers do not leave feedback, the small number of 1-3 star ratings would not have such a detrimental impact. With tens of thousands of orders every few months and no feedback from the majority of satisfied customers, a few negative or mixed reviews from dissatisfied customers can significantly harm our reputation and overshadow the positive aspects of our service.

20
user profile
Seller_U2iypJCercyzc

Agreed. It doesn't make sense at all.

Nothing does really.

30
user profile
Seller_KEtayzuhMz5NM

Old ratings represent old product, ratings over a year should drop off, I think the ratings should be capped at 1000 max. To be fair to new and better products.

00
user profile
Seller_P85u3WAAnD3kQ

I just received ANOTHER 5 STAR REVIEW and it hasn't changed my rating at all! I'm still at 4.6.

5 star reviews mean nothing to Amazon. 1 star reviews mean EVERYTHING. what an idiotic system.

this is a verified review (all of my reviews are from verified purchasers) from a person who has left reviews for 15 different products with a variety of ratings. I did not ask them to leave a review. But Amazon has decided these reviews mean nothing.

00
user profile
Seller_P85u3WAAnD3kQ

JUST GOT ANOTHER 5 STAR REVIEW, STILL AT 4.6 STARS!!!!!!!!

What a joke. So one bad review took me down .3 points, when it was removed I only went back up .2 points, and when I received the next 3 5 star reviews THAT I DID NOT ASK THE CUSTOMERS FOR, thye have ZERO impact on my rating.

This is downright DISGUSTING on Amazon's part-- is this so customers will buy from Amazon, or a FBA seller, or someone they're boosting????????????

THIS MAKES NO SENSE!!! It's so EVIL!!!!

10
user profile
Seller_P85u3WAAnD3kQ

Hey Mods, explain why only BAD ratings matter for my product and I get NO RAISE in rating when I get 3 5-star reviews from customers who regularly rate their Amazon purchases a variety of different ratings??????

Hey Mods, explain why I get punished for a bad rating that was removed by the customer, so that, instead of my rating returning to what it was, I'm down .1. Explain why that persons reviews are more important than the 5 -star reviewer who has rated 14 other products a variety of ratings, but the ONE customer who gave me a bad rating and had only rated THREE products total, and had given them all 1 stars, why does HER rating weigh heavier than the reviewer who has reviewed 14 items and given a variety of ratings??????

00
user profile
Danny_Amazon

Hi @Seller_P85u3WAAnD3kQ- thanks for creating this discussion thread here on the seller forums, and I apologize about your recent experience here.

It is true that Amazon calculates a product’s star ratings based on a machine learned model instead of a raw data average. The model takes into account factors including the age of a rating, whether the ratings are from verified buyers and factors that establish reviewer trustworthiness. I also apologize that our teams would be unable to disclose further information about this calculation, but you can read further on it via this Amazon.com Help Page, or by connecting with our seller support team directly.

Best regards,

Danny

01
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user profile
Seller_P85u3WAAnD3kQ

The way Amazon weighs product reviews DOES NOT MAKE SENSE

I have a product with a 4.7 rating from 106 reviews.

Customer leaves a 1 star review, my rating goes down to 4.4 (107 reviews)

Then another customer leaves a 5 star review, my rating stays at 4.4. (108 reviews).

The customer that left the 1 star review has a review history of 3 items, all 1 star reviews. The customer that left the 5 star rating has 14 reviews with a variety of ratings. But Amazon will give more weight to the customer who has reviewed 3 things total and left them all 1 star reviews. Fine, that's not even what I'm complaining about.

The customer that left the 1 star review removed it when I refunded them. So now I'm at 107 reviews with a rating of 4.6. That means I lost 0.1 from a 5 star review?? When that 1 star customer removed their review, I should have gone up to where I was (4.7), but then I also have a new 5 star review so my total should be at least 4.8 now. Instead it's down to 4.6.

A 5 star review made Amazon LOWER my product rating???

THIS MAKES NO SENSE

381 views
17 replies
Tags:Product reviews
110
Reply
user profile
Seller_P85u3WAAnD3kQ

The way Amazon weighs product reviews DOES NOT MAKE SENSE

I have a product with a 4.7 rating from 106 reviews.

Customer leaves a 1 star review, my rating goes down to 4.4 (107 reviews)

Then another customer leaves a 5 star review, my rating stays at 4.4. (108 reviews).

The customer that left the 1 star review has a review history of 3 items, all 1 star reviews. The customer that left the 5 star rating has 14 reviews with a variety of ratings. But Amazon will give more weight to the customer who has reviewed 3 things total and left them all 1 star reviews. Fine, that's not even what I'm complaining about.

The customer that left the 1 star review removed it when I refunded them. So now I'm at 107 reviews with a rating of 4.6. That means I lost 0.1 from a 5 star review?? When that 1 star customer removed their review, I should have gone up to where I was (4.7), but then I also have a new 5 star review so my total should be at least 4.8 now. Instead it's down to 4.6.

A 5 star review made Amazon LOWER my product rating???

THIS MAKES NO SENSE

Tags:Product reviews
110
381 views
17 replies
Reply
user profile

The way Amazon weighs product reviews DOES NOT MAKE SENSE

by Seller_P85u3WAAnD3kQ

I have a product with a 4.7 rating from 106 reviews.

Customer leaves a 1 star review, my rating goes down to 4.4 (107 reviews)

Then another customer leaves a 5 star review, my rating stays at 4.4. (108 reviews).

The customer that left the 1 star review has a review history of 3 items, all 1 star reviews. The customer that left the 5 star rating has 14 reviews with a variety of ratings. But Amazon will give more weight to the customer who has reviewed 3 things total and left them all 1 star reviews. Fine, that's not even what I'm complaining about.

The customer that left the 1 star review removed it when I refunded them. So now I'm at 107 reviews with a rating of 4.6. That means I lost 0.1 from a 5 star review?? When that 1 star customer removed their review, I should have gone up to where I was (4.7), but then I also have a new 5 star review so my total should be at least 4.8 now. Instead it's down to 4.6.

A 5 star review made Amazon LOWER my product rating???

THIS MAKES NO SENSE

Tags:Product reviews
110
381 views
17 replies
Reply
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Seller_i6S8knzW6zU6Z

Hi @Seller_P85u3WAAnD3kQ,

According to the help pages (https://sellercentral.amazon.com/help/hub/reference/GJLMBS3YDUTJGLNT), Amazon's star rating system uses a machine learning model rather than a simple average. The model takes into account several factors such as how old the ratings are, whether they come from verified buyers, the trustworthiness of reviewers, and other factors.

This explains why your rating changes might not follow the mathematical average you'd expect. Also, offering refunds in exchange for review removal is against Amazon's policies (https://sellercentral.amazon.com/help/hub/reference/GE8SYAZUBGVFBHCH).

Best regards, Michael

45
user profile
Seller_LTNvvFJ2jqJOv

The ratings system is horrible in its entirety and needs to be overhauled. Amazon won't do it.

60
user profile
Seller_C014gz2CtNWhK

I hear you, the weight of a negative review holds more weight than a positive for some reason... Even if its just a rating with no review at all. I got a negative rating without a review on one product with over 100 reviews and it dropped by 0.3 pts, then had 4 x 5 star written reviews which didnt even make back the 0.3 lost from the 1 star rating with no review... it makes no sense.

20
user profile
Seller_kZUOCMBionnbv

Yes, it has consistently been a significant issue. If Amazon were to apply a positive rating to orders where buyers do not leave feedback, the small number of 1-3 star ratings would not have such a detrimental impact. With tens of thousands of orders every few months and no feedback from the majority of satisfied customers, a few negative or mixed reviews from dissatisfied customers can significantly harm our reputation and overshadow the positive aspects of our service.

20
user profile
Seller_U2iypJCercyzc

Agreed. It doesn't make sense at all.

Nothing does really.

30
user profile
Seller_KEtayzuhMz5NM

Old ratings represent old product, ratings over a year should drop off, I think the ratings should be capped at 1000 max. To be fair to new and better products.

00
user profile
Seller_P85u3WAAnD3kQ

I just received ANOTHER 5 STAR REVIEW and it hasn't changed my rating at all! I'm still at 4.6.

5 star reviews mean nothing to Amazon. 1 star reviews mean EVERYTHING. what an idiotic system.

this is a verified review (all of my reviews are from verified purchasers) from a person who has left reviews for 15 different products with a variety of ratings. I did not ask them to leave a review. But Amazon has decided these reviews mean nothing.

00
user profile
Seller_P85u3WAAnD3kQ

JUST GOT ANOTHER 5 STAR REVIEW, STILL AT 4.6 STARS!!!!!!!!

What a joke. So one bad review took me down .3 points, when it was removed I only went back up .2 points, and when I received the next 3 5 star reviews THAT I DID NOT ASK THE CUSTOMERS FOR, thye have ZERO impact on my rating.

This is downright DISGUSTING on Amazon's part-- is this so customers will buy from Amazon, or a FBA seller, or someone they're boosting????????????

THIS MAKES NO SENSE!!! It's so EVIL!!!!

10
user profile
Seller_P85u3WAAnD3kQ

Hey Mods, explain why only BAD ratings matter for my product and I get NO RAISE in rating when I get 3 5-star reviews from customers who regularly rate their Amazon purchases a variety of different ratings??????

Hey Mods, explain why I get punished for a bad rating that was removed by the customer, so that, instead of my rating returning to what it was, I'm down .1. Explain why that persons reviews are more important than the 5 -star reviewer who has rated 14 other products a variety of ratings, but the ONE customer who gave me a bad rating and had only rated THREE products total, and had given them all 1 stars, why does HER rating weigh heavier than the reviewer who has reviewed 14 items and given a variety of ratings??????

00
user profile
Danny_Amazon

Hi @Seller_P85u3WAAnD3kQ- thanks for creating this discussion thread here on the seller forums, and I apologize about your recent experience here.

It is true that Amazon calculates a product’s star ratings based on a machine learned model instead of a raw data average. The model takes into account factors including the age of a rating, whether the ratings are from verified buyers and factors that establish reviewer trustworthiness. I also apologize that our teams would be unable to disclose further information about this calculation, but you can read further on it via this Amazon.com Help Page, or by connecting with our seller support team directly.

Best regards,

Danny

01
Follow this discussion to be notified of new activity
user profile
Seller_i6S8knzW6zU6Z

Hi @Seller_P85u3WAAnD3kQ,

According to the help pages (https://sellercentral.amazon.com/help/hub/reference/GJLMBS3YDUTJGLNT), Amazon's star rating system uses a machine learning model rather than a simple average. The model takes into account several factors such as how old the ratings are, whether they come from verified buyers, the trustworthiness of reviewers, and other factors.

This explains why your rating changes might not follow the mathematical average you'd expect. Also, offering refunds in exchange for review removal is against Amazon's policies (https://sellercentral.amazon.com/help/hub/reference/GE8SYAZUBGVFBHCH).

Best regards, Michael

45
user profile
Seller_i6S8knzW6zU6Z

Hi @Seller_P85u3WAAnD3kQ,

According to the help pages (https://sellercentral.amazon.com/help/hub/reference/GJLMBS3YDUTJGLNT), Amazon's star rating system uses a machine learning model rather than a simple average. The model takes into account several factors such as how old the ratings are, whether they come from verified buyers, the trustworthiness of reviewers, and other factors.

This explains why your rating changes might not follow the mathematical average you'd expect. Also, offering refunds in exchange for review removal is against Amazon's policies (https://sellercentral.amazon.com/help/hub/reference/GE8SYAZUBGVFBHCH).

Best regards, Michael

45
Reply
user profile
Seller_LTNvvFJ2jqJOv

The ratings system is horrible in its entirety and needs to be overhauled. Amazon won't do it.

60
user profile
Seller_LTNvvFJ2jqJOv

The ratings system is horrible in its entirety and needs to be overhauled. Amazon won't do it.

60
Reply
user profile
Seller_C014gz2CtNWhK

I hear you, the weight of a negative review holds more weight than a positive for some reason... Even if its just a rating with no review at all. I got a negative rating without a review on one product with over 100 reviews and it dropped by 0.3 pts, then had 4 x 5 star written reviews which didnt even make back the 0.3 lost from the 1 star rating with no review... it makes no sense.

20
user profile
Seller_C014gz2CtNWhK

I hear you, the weight of a negative review holds more weight than a positive for some reason... Even if its just a rating with no review at all. I got a negative rating without a review on one product with over 100 reviews and it dropped by 0.3 pts, then had 4 x 5 star written reviews which didnt even make back the 0.3 lost from the 1 star rating with no review... it makes no sense.

20
Reply
user profile
Seller_kZUOCMBionnbv

Yes, it has consistently been a significant issue. If Amazon were to apply a positive rating to orders where buyers do not leave feedback, the small number of 1-3 star ratings would not have such a detrimental impact. With tens of thousands of orders every few months and no feedback from the majority of satisfied customers, a few negative or mixed reviews from dissatisfied customers can significantly harm our reputation and overshadow the positive aspects of our service.

20
user profile
Seller_kZUOCMBionnbv

Yes, it has consistently been a significant issue. If Amazon were to apply a positive rating to orders where buyers do not leave feedback, the small number of 1-3 star ratings would not have such a detrimental impact. With tens of thousands of orders every few months and no feedback from the majority of satisfied customers, a few negative or mixed reviews from dissatisfied customers can significantly harm our reputation and overshadow the positive aspects of our service.

20
Reply
user profile
Seller_U2iypJCercyzc

Agreed. It doesn't make sense at all.

Nothing does really.

30
user profile
Seller_U2iypJCercyzc

Agreed. It doesn't make sense at all.

Nothing does really.

30
Reply
user profile
Seller_KEtayzuhMz5NM

Old ratings represent old product, ratings over a year should drop off, I think the ratings should be capped at 1000 max. To be fair to new and better products.

00
user profile
Seller_KEtayzuhMz5NM

Old ratings represent old product, ratings over a year should drop off, I think the ratings should be capped at 1000 max. To be fair to new and better products.

00
Reply
user profile
Seller_P85u3WAAnD3kQ

I just received ANOTHER 5 STAR REVIEW and it hasn't changed my rating at all! I'm still at 4.6.

5 star reviews mean nothing to Amazon. 1 star reviews mean EVERYTHING. what an idiotic system.

this is a verified review (all of my reviews are from verified purchasers) from a person who has left reviews for 15 different products with a variety of ratings. I did not ask them to leave a review. But Amazon has decided these reviews mean nothing.

00
user profile
Seller_P85u3WAAnD3kQ

I just received ANOTHER 5 STAR REVIEW and it hasn't changed my rating at all! I'm still at 4.6.

5 star reviews mean nothing to Amazon. 1 star reviews mean EVERYTHING. what an idiotic system.

this is a verified review (all of my reviews are from verified purchasers) from a person who has left reviews for 15 different products with a variety of ratings. I did not ask them to leave a review. But Amazon has decided these reviews mean nothing.

00
Reply
user profile
Seller_P85u3WAAnD3kQ

JUST GOT ANOTHER 5 STAR REVIEW, STILL AT 4.6 STARS!!!!!!!!

What a joke. So one bad review took me down .3 points, when it was removed I only went back up .2 points, and when I received the next 3 5 star reviews THAT I DID NOT ASK THE CUSTOMERS FOR, thye have ZERO impact on my rating.

This is downright DISGUSTING on Amazon's part-- is this so customers will buy from Amazon, or a FBA seller, or someone they're boosting????????????

THIS MAKES NO SENSE!!! It's so EVIL!!!!

10
user profile
Seller_P85u3WAAnD3kQ

JUST GOT ANOTHER 5 STAR REVIEW, STILL AT 4.6 STARS!!!!!!!!

What a joke. So one bad review took me down .3 points, when it was removed I only went back up .2 points, and when I received the next 3 5 star reviews THAT I DID NOT ASK THE CUSTOMERS FOR, thye have ZERO impact on my rating.

This is downright DISGUSTING on Amazon's part-- is this so customers will buy from Amazon, or a FBA seller, or someone they're boosting????????????

THIS MAKES NO SENSE!!! It's so EVIL!!!!

10
Reply
user profile
Seller_P85u3WAAnD3kQ

Hey Mods, explain why only BAD ratings matter for my product and I get NO RAISE in rating when I get 3 5-star reviews from customers who regularly rate their Amazon purchases a variety of different ratings??????

Hey Mods, explain why I get punished for a bad rating that was removed by the customer, so that, instead of my rating returning to what it was, I'm down .1. Explain why that persons reviews are more important than the 5 -star reviewer who has rated 14 other products a variety of ratings, but the ONE customer who gave me a bad rating and had only rated THREE products total, and had given them all 1 stars, why does HER rating weigh heavier than the reviewer who has reviewed 14 items and given a variety of ratings??????

00
user profile
Seller_P85u3WAAnD3kQ

Hey Mods, explain why only BAD ratings matter for my product and I get NO RAISE in rating when I get 3 5-star reviews from customers who regularly rate their Amazon purchases a variety of different ratings??????

Hey Mods, explain why I get punished for a bad rating that was removed by the customer, so that, instead of my rating returning to what it was, I'm down .1. Explain why that persons reviews are more important than the 5 -star reviewer who has rated 14 other products a variety of ratings, but the ONE customer who gave me a bad rating and had only rated THREE products total, and had given them all 1 stars, why does HER rating weigh heavier than the reviewer who has reviewed 14 items and given a variety of ratings??????

00
Reply
user profile
Danny_Amazon

Hi @Seller_P85u3WAAnD3kQ- thanks for creating this discussion thread here on the seller forums, and I apologize about your recent experience here.

It is true that Amazon calculates a product’s star ratings based on a machine learned model instead of a raw data average. The model takes into account factors including the age of a rating, whether the ratings are from verified buyers and factors that establish reviewer trustworthiness. I also apologize that our teams would be unable to disclose further information about this calculation, but you can read further on it via this Amazon.com Help Page, or by connecting with our seller support team directly.

Best regards,

Danny

01
user profile
Danny_Amazon

Hi @Seller_P85u3WAAnD3kQ- thanks for creating this discussion thread here on the seller forums, and I apologize about your recent experience here.

It is true that Amazon calculates a product’s star ratings based on a machine learned model instead of a raw data average. The model takes into account factors including the age of a rating, whether the ratings are from verified buyers and factors that establish reviewer trustworthiness. I also apologize that our teams would be unable to disclose further information about this calculation, but you can read further on it via this Amazon.com Help Page, or by connecting with our seller support team directly.

Best regards,

Danny

01
Reply
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