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One potential solution is for Amazon to do a better job of encouraging users to rate every product they buy. That would quickly drown out the fake reviews and

One potential solution is for Amazon to do a better job of encouraging users to rate every product they buy. That would quickly drown out the fake reviews and make such tactics uneconomical. Off the top of my head I would suggest that on the post-checkout screen they should list the customer's most recent purchases asking "Please rate your current satisfaction with your recent purchases". Just a quick 5-star rating, a small button to write a textual review if the user wants, and a note clearly stating that their review can be changed later if their opinion changes. I suggest putting that at post-checkout because it's a point where Amazon still has the user engaged, so asking is not annoying (like their emails currently are), but the user is done shopping so they aren't preoccupied with something else. In other words, it is the least annoying time to ask. They should, of course, also have a rating box on the home page (again, a list of recent purchases, possibly muxing in older purchases at random). And then weighting reviews is super important. Reviews given by users later in their ownership of the product should be weighted higher than reviews given just after receiving the product. Changed reviews should be weighted higher, as well as reviews on returns.

AdmiralAsshat 10y ago
Actually, they do this already. I get e-mailed about once a week from Amazon asking me, "How would you rate <<Thing you bought a month ago>>?" I frankly find it annoying. It's sad to say, but unless the item was either really good or really bad, I don't feel compelled to review it. The other problem is most people probably review their things as soon as they get it. Very few go back and edit their reviews if the thing disintegrates six months later, with the net result that the product has overwhelmingly positive reviews despite having the durability of the Dead Sea Scrolls.
- fpgaminer 10y ago
  My comment addressed that: > I suggest putting that at post-checkout because it's a point where Amazon still has the user engaged, so asking is not annoying (like their emails currently are), but the user is done shopping so they aren't preoccupied with something else. And I addressed your second point as well in my comment.
- TheOtherHobbes 10y ago
  As I understand it, those emails aren't generated automatically. Sellers can trigger them to remind you to post a rating.
- _puk 10y ago
  The ones that drive me nuts are the 5 star "I bought it for my husband for his birthday next week" kind of reviews.. If the product hasn't been used for at least a few days / weeks (dependant on the item), then it's not a true review; more a reflection on how good Prime is at getting stuff to you on time and with no hassle.
  - crapolasplatter 10y ago
    LOL, exactly but the more annoying ones are in the Questions sections. There is always someone who comments that they don't have the answer. WTF just dont post if you don't have the answer.
    - jessaustin 10y ago
      That's actually Amazon's fault. They send a personalized email to the customer, saying e.g. "You purchased thing, and another thing customer has an important question about thing that you should answer by clicking this button." Sophisticates like the HN crowd know that clicking that button to say "n/a" isn't actually helping anyone. Amazon should know that most of its customers are not that sophisticated.
    - xanderstrike 10y ago
      This and the questions that have three or four answers that are all identical. The email from amazon makes it appear as though the question is being posed to you directly, and you can't see other answers while replying. If it just showed answers others had given it would cut down on that a lot.
sikosmurf 10y ago
The problem with this is that it's really hard to get a user to click a button they don't have to. Additionally, many people already give low weight to reviews that are strictly 5 star ratings, so encouraging more of them probably won't help people determine how good a product really is.

AdmiralAsshat 10y ago

Actually, they do this already. I get e-mailed about once a week from Amazon asking me, "How would you rate <<Thing you bought a month ago>>?" I frankly find it annoying. It's sad to say, but unless the item was either really good or really bad, I don't feel compelled to review it. The other problem is most people probably review their things as soon as they get it. Very few go back and edit their reviews if the thing disintegrates six months later, with the net result that the product has overwhelmingly positive reviews despite having the durability of the Dead Sea Scrolls.

fpgaminer 10y ago
My comment addressed that: > I suggest putting that at post-checkout because it's a point where Amazon still has the user engaged, so asking is not annoying (like their emails currently are), but the user is done shopping so they aren't preoccupied with something else. And I addressed your second point as well in my comment.
TheOtherHobbes 10y ago
As I understand it, those emails aren't generated automatically. Sellers can trigger them to remind you to post a rating.
_puk 10y ago
The ones that drive me nuts are the 5 star "I bought it for my husband for his birthday next week" kind of reviews.. If the product hasn't been used for at least a few days / weeks (dependant on the item), then it's not a true review; more a reflection on how good Prime is at getting stuff to you on time and with no hassle.
- crapolasplatter 10y ago
  LOL, exactly but the more annoying ones are in the Questions sections. There is always someone who comments that they don't have the answer. WTF just dont post if you don't have the answer.
  - jessaustin 10y ago
    That's actually Amazon's fault. They send a personalized email to the customer, saying e.g. "You purchased thing, and another thing customer has an important question about thing that you should answer by clicking this button." Sophisticates like the HN crowd know that clicking that button to say "n/a" isn't actually helping anyone. Amazon should know that most of its customers are not that sophisticated.
  - xanderstrike 10y ago
    This and the questions that have three or four answers that are all identical. The email from amazon makes it appear as though the question is being posed to you directly, and you can't see other answers while replying. If it just showed answers others had given it would cut down on that a lot.

sikosmurf 10y ago

The problem with this is that it's really hard to get a user to click a button they don't have to. Additionally, many people already give low weight to reviews that are strictly 5 star ratings, so encouraging more of them probably won't help people determine how good a product really is.