Amazon’s New Review Policy: What Brands Need to Know

Amazon’s Latest Review Policy Change: What It Means for Brands

Amazon has introduced a subtle but notable change to its product review system: customers can no longer leave product ratings without a written comment on certain screens. While this may seem like a small tweak, it could lead to a shift in how ratings and reviews are distributed across the platform. Historically, customers who leave ratings without comments tend to be more positive, whereas those who take the time to write reviews often skew more critical. This change could result in slightly lower overall average ratings, but it may also provide brands with richer, more detailed feedback.

What’s Changed?

• No More Ratings-Only Reviews – Previously, customers could leave a star rating without a written comment. Now, a comment is required to submit a review, as seen on this screen:

• Bulk Ratings Still Possible – Customers can still rate multiple products at once through bulk rating mechanisms as seen here:

Potential Impact on Review Volume & Overall Rating

• Slightly Lower Average Ratings? Since quick, positive ratings without comments will no longer be an option, the overall sentiment may shift slightly downward as written reviews tend to be more critical.
• Fewer, More In-Depth Reviews? Some customers may opt out of leaving feedback altogether due to the added step, but those who do write reviews may provide more useful insights for brands.
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What Amazon is Saying

Amazon has not publicly addressed this change, and their FAQ avoids referencing it, as seen here:

A snippet from Amazon FAQs, still implying that adding review text is optional:

How This Could Affect Ratings & Review Analysis

• Changes in sentiment analysis – If the majority of previous ratings-only submissions were positive, we could see a shift toward more neutral or slightly negative feedback.
• Impact on review volume – A possible decline in total reviews could affect how products are perceived and ranked.
• Amazon’s review algorithm – Amazon weighs reviews differently based on credibility and engagement. Could this shift impact product rankings?
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How Amazon calculate overall star ratings:
“Amazon calculates a product's star rating using machine-learned models instead of a simple average. These models consider factors such as how recent the rating or review is and verified purchase status. They use multiple criteria that establish the authenticity of the feedback. The system continues to learn and improve over time. We do not consider customer ratings without an Amazon Verified Purchase status in a product's overall star rating until a customer adds more details in the form of text, image, or video.”

What’s Next?

As this policy rolls out, it’s unclear whether it applies to all products or just a subset. Yogi will continue tracking these changes and analyzing their impact on consumer behavior, product rankings, and sentiment trends.

For now, brands should anticipate potential shifts in review volume and sentiment. If you’d like to understand how these changes could impact your products, reach out to Yogi for deeper insights and data-driven recommendations.