Amazon is reportedly testing a confusing star rating system

Amazon has started testing a new star rating system in specific regions that makes it harder to gauge how buyers are liking a specific product. Android Police has spotted the the experimental system on the company's mobile app in India, its German website and its global website when accessed from Germany. We couldn't replicate what the publication has seen on the US website, but it looks like the test replaces the website's weighted average rating that's typically shown through an image with five stars. Instead of that illustration, buyers see a single yellow star next to the product image with the percentage of 5-star ratings it had received. 

People wouldn't be able to tell at a glance whether a product's average rating is 5 or 3.5, because it's represented by a single yellow star in both cases. It's also not immediately visible how many reviews a product has received so far, seeing as the new system only shows the percentage of 5-star ratings. As the publication notes, this makes it easier for sellers to dupe potential buyers by unscrupulously looking for ways to get 5-star reviews to counteract the negative ones. 

That said, Amazon hasn't completely removed ratings breakdown and details. Potential buyers who look at the number of reviews a product has gotten and not just its average score can click through to see its ratings breakdown on the product page. It's not ideal and could make picking a product to buy longer than it should take, but at least the option exists. When asked, an Amazon spokesperson didn't confirm the experimental feature and simply told The Verge: "We are always innovating on behalf of customers to provide the best possible shopping experience." Testing a feature doesn't always lead to a wide release, though, and Amazon might make changes to this rating system if it does decide to implement it. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/amazon-is-reportedly-testing-a-confusing-star-rating-system-045945281.html?src=rss https://www.engadget.com/amazon-is-reportedly-testing-a-confusing-star-rating-system-045945281.html?src=rss
Created 2y | Aug 18, 2023, 7:10:13 AM


Login to add comment

Other posts in this group

Jaguar Land Rover pauses US shipments while it figures out a plan for Trump’s tariffs

UK-based Jaguar Land Rover says it’s pausing shipments to the US after President Donald Trump imposed a 25 percent tariff on passenger vehicles and other auto imports. The pause will be in effect

Apr 5, 2025, 6:30:18 PM | Engadget
Amazon will use AI to generate recaps for book series on the Kindle

Amazon's new feature could make it easier to get into the latest release in a series, especially if it's been some time since you've read the previous books. The new Recaps feature is part of the

Apr 5, 2025, 6:30:17 PM | Engadget
How to customize your iPhone’s home screen in iOS 18

The official launch of Apple’s

Apr 5, 2025, 1:50:13 PM | Engadget
Ring founder Jamie Siminoff is back at Amazon to run its video doorbell unit

Jamie Siminoff, who founded Ring and started the company in his garage, is back at Amazon after

Apr 5, 2025, 1:50:12 PM | Engadget
Meta is entering its post-truth era on Monday

Early this year, Mark Zuckerberg announced that Meta would be

Apr 4, 2025, 9:40:14 PM | Engadget
The creator of Binding of Isaac will release a new game, Mewgenics, this year

Mewgenics, the cat-breeding RPG that was

Apr 4, 2025, 9:40:13 PM | Engadget