Contents
What?
Amazon is making changes to its product review system, restricting access to reviews to verified users only, in a bid to eliminate fake reviews.
Why?
These changes are intended to provide greater credibility to reviews, improve transparency, and enable consumers to make more informed purchasing decisions, while allowing sellers to focus on product quality and service.
Who is it for?
The changes are important both for retailers, who must adapt their strategies, and for consumers, who will gain access to more reliable reviews.
Background
Fake reviews have become a problem on the platform, and Amazon is responding to this by introducing restrictions to protect users and improve the quality of product ratings.
What changes is Amazon introducing?
Amazon is restricting access to reviews, especially for new users, to minimize the number of fake reviews. Only people who have actually purchased a product on the platform will be able to post reviews. This means that only verified users will be able to add a review, significantly increasing the credibility of each review. This eliminates so-called "custom reviews" that could mislead consumers.
Amazon is also changing how it handles reviews for products sold by third-party vendors. Instead of allowing anyone with an account to post a review, the platform is introducing stricter rules. Only users who meet certain criteria will be able to leave reviews. This means that reviews will come from people who actually purchased the product, significantly increasing their value.
What are the benefits of the changes introduced?
The introduction of restrictions on access to reviews by new users is primarily aimed at eliminating fake reviews, which have been widely used to manipulate product ratings. For consumers, this means more credible and reliable reviews, allowing them to make better purchasing decisions. Consumers will be able to rely on reviews from people who have actually used the products, improving transparency throughout the entire purchasing process.
For sellers, these changes mean adapting their marketing efforts. They will need to prioritize the quality of their products and services to attract positive reviews. Sellers who previously relied on rating manipulation will need to adapt to the new rules and focus on building authentic reviews. In the long run, this will benefit those offering high-quality products and services.
What will be the consequences for the e-commerce market?
Changes to Amazon's review system could have a broad impact on the entire e-commerce market. Increasing transparency in product reviews will increase consumer trust in e-commerce platforms, which will positively impact the entire online retail ecosystem. Sellers who have previously focused on review manipulation will be forced to become more committed to building a reputation based on quality and customer satisfaction.
These changes will also impact other e-commerce platforms, which may begin to implement similar restrictions to ensure better review quality. This, in turn, will impact the overall competitiveness of the market, forcing sellers to raise the standards of their offerings. In the long term, such changes could contribute to greater fairness in the e-commerce market, strengthening consumer trust.
How does this change impact sellers?
The introduction of restrictions on access to Amazon reviews means that sellers will have to change their approach to building reviews. They will have to focus on naturally collecting reviews from their customers, rather than artificially inflating ratings. This may require greater investment in customer service quality, but it will certainly contribute to increased long-term brand trust. It's worth remembering, however, that Amazon remains one of the most powerful online sales tools, and adhering to the new rules allows sellers to remain competitive in the market.
What changes might come in the future?
The changes introduced by Amazon may be just the beginning of a larger revolution in the digital world of reviews. It remains to be seen how other platforms react to this move and whether they decide to implement similar restrictions. The e-commerce review system will undoubtedly continue to evolve, and sellers will be forced to adapt to increasingly stringent standards that will ensure greater consumer safety and trustworthiness of reviews.
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Marcin Stadnik
e-commerce advisor
The author is a manager with extensive experience in e-commerce, sales strategy, and content marketing. He is a digital practitioner and consultant with over 15 years of experience in e-commerce projects, sales strategy, and online business development, as well as 25 years of experience in broadly defined distribution (offline and online). He specializes in creating and implementing effective solutions for online stores, supporting companies in developing their digital presence. He co-creates appropriate strategies for e-businesses, conducts audits, and oversees marketing activities—always combining analytical knowledge with market practice. He is the author and co-author of content published on the swiatcyfrowy.pl website—based on his many years of consulting, analytical, and operational experience. The materials created are intended to provide reliable, valuable knowledge that truly supports the development of online businesses. The content here is designed to address the real challenges and needs of companies operating in the e-commerce environment (the digital world).
