Amazon is experimenting with removing customer reviews from its product search results page. The retailer says the test could make it easier for shoppers to navigate its vast product offering.
The “limited test” only affects a small number of products, the company said. Assets on Thursday and only affects the search results page; star ratings and total number of reviews will still be available on individual product pages.
Some Amazon customers and sellers have recently noticed changes to the Amazon website and mobile app that remove the star rating and number of reviews of products displayed in search results. In one example on LinkedIn, an Amazon seller posted the product listing results for a search for “oral irrigator.” Previously, the resulting feed of products in the search results each included a row of information from left to right that included a numerical rating from 0 to 5, the same rating in the form of five shaded stars, and the number of total reviews for a given product.
The new experience has removed all rating and review information from the overall results page, and shoppers must click on the individual listing’s product page to view this information.
Amazon is known among its competitors as an online retailer that is constantly testing new features and tweaking the design of its shopping experience, but its recent change to its search results page has attracted attention due to the impact it could have on shoppers, independent sellers and major brands alike.
Amazon spokeswoman Maria Boschetti confirmed this Assets that the change is actually a test and not the result of a software bug. She did not provide any information on the test results so far or how long the company plans to conduct the tests.
“We are conducting a limited test with a small number of products to refine what product information, including ratings and other attributes, is shown in search results to make results more compact so customers can quickly and easily browse a range of product options.”
Boschetti also emphasized that all product details, including ratings and reviews, will continue to be displayed on individual product pages.
On the surface, it’s questionable how much screen space and time customers actually save when they’re browsing by removing that one line of information. As customers increasingly use smartphones to browse and shop online, companies have optimized the mobile versions of their websites and apps for smaller screens.
Ratings and reviews have long been one of Amazon’s biggest differentiators and advantages, but also a source of frustration. While Amazon entices millions of merchants around the world to sell their products through its marketplace, some have attempted to game the ratings system with tactics ranging from paying shoppers for 5-star ratings to integrating a new product into an existing product’s listing to make the new merchandise look like it has a high rating.
A few years ago, Amazon introduced one-tap reviews, making it easier for “verified buyers” to leave feedback on a product without having to write a written review. At least part of the idea behind the initiative was that it could make it more difficult or expensive for fake reviews to significantly affect a product’s overall rating.
Amazon recently added AI-powered review summaries to product pages to give shoppers an overview of customer feedback without having to dig through individual reviews.
