Amazon Tests Removing Star Ratings from Product Search Results in Limited Experiment

Amazon is testing the removal of star ratings from product search results in a limited experiment to streamline the browsing experience. While star ratings and review counts remain accessible on individual product pages, the change could impact how consumers and sellers interact with search results.

Amazon Tests Removing Star Ratings from Search Results, Aiming to Simplify Consumer Browsing Experience

To eradicate customer ratings from its product search results page, Amazon is presently conducting a test. According to the retailer, this modification could simplify the process of consumers perusing its extensive product selection.

The company informed Fortune on August 15 that the "limited test" only impacts a small number of products and only affects the search results page. Star ratings and review tally totals are still accessible on individual product pages.

The Amazon website and mobile app have recently undergone modifications that have removed the star rating and review count of products that appear in search results. A few Amazon customers and sellers have observed this. In one instance, an Amazon merchant posted the product listing results for a "water flosser"search on LinkedIn.

Previously, the feed of products in the search results would contain a line of information that extended from left to right. This information would include a numerical rating from 0 to 5, the same rating displayed as five shaded-in stars, and the total number of ratings for a specific product.

The new experience's overall results page no longer contains rating or review information. Instead, consumers must navigate to the product page of each listing to access this information.

Its competitors recognize Amazon as an online retailer perpetually experimenting with new features and refining its purchasing experience. However, the most recent modification to the search results page has garnered attention due to its potential impact on consumers, independent sellers, and large brands.

Amazon Confirms Star Ratings Removal as a Test, Aims to Streamline Product Search Results for Users

Amazon spokesperson Maria Boschetti affirmed in an interview with Fortune that the change is a test rather than the consequence of a software bug. She did not disclose any details regarding the testing's current status or the duration of the tests.

“We’re conducting a limited test on a small set of products to refine which product information, including reviews and other attributes, show in search results to make the results more compact so customers can quickly and easily browse a range of product options.”

Boschetti also underscored that individual product pages will continue to display all product details, including ratings and reviews.

On the surface, it is reasonable to question the extent to which Amazon is saving screen space and customer perusing time by eliminating this single line of information. Companies have optimized the mobile versions of their sites and applications for smaller displays in response to the growing number of customers who use smartphones to browse and purchase online.

Ratings and reviews have long been a significant differentiator and advantage for Amazon but have also been frustrating. As Amazon has courted millions of merchants worldwide to begin selling through its marketplace, some have attempted to manipulate the reviews system by employing strategies such as paying shoppers for 5-star reviews and merging a new product onto an existing product's listing to create the illusion that the new merchandise has a high rating.

A few years ago, Amazon implemented one-tap ratings, which simplified the process for "verified buyers" to provide product feedback without composing a written review. A portion of the concept behind the initiative was that it could make it more difficult or costly for fake reviews to influence a product's overall rating substantially.

More recently, Amazon has implemented AI-powered review summaries on product pages to provide consumers with a concise overview of customer feedback without the need to navigate through individual reviews.