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General => Technical Help => Topic started by: ikas on Sunday 24 August 25 13:45 BST (UK)

Title: Amazon Problem with Ratings and Reviews
Post by: ikas on Sunday 24 August 25 13:45 BST (UK)
I am assuming this board is for help with computer related problems not necessarily connected to genealogy. If I am wrong could a mod delete this post. Problem occurs with different windows PCs (10 and 11) and across several browsers.

This is doing my head in. I don’t think there is a solution but I am hoping some on here can confirm whether, as suggested by a friend, Amazon are testing a new approach on a number of account holders leaving the majority of accounts unchanged.
The problem relates to ratings and reviews. Customers can leave a star rating (5* to 1*) on a product but can also leave a text review to explain why they gave the product that rating. Not all who leave a rating also leave a review.
Until about a month ago I could see the number of ratings at each star level a product had been given by those who had bought that product. I did so by hovering my mouse over the global star ratings figure (all ratings added together). That opened a window where each star level was allocated a percentage of the global ratings figure. I am aware that the percent figures are weighted in some way so these cannot be used to calculate the rating numbers from the global figure. Instead clicking on say the 5* level revealed a new window that stated the number of 5* ratings the product had received and below that all the 5* reviews the product had received. 
Now I cannot see the number of ratings the product has received. When I hover over the global ratings I get the same window as before but now if I click on say the 5* percentage figure I only see the text reviews given at 5* level and not the number of 5* ratings.
Could some of you kind people check this out on your amazon account. Can you see the number of ratings given at individual star levels? If so how do you do that?
My friend suggests that some will see the “old” screens and some the “new” screens. Amazon help associates have not helped. Thanks for reading such a complex request and any help is much appreciated. As I said I’m not looking for a solution only to confirm if some amazon accounts still see the “old screens”.   
Title: Re: Amazon Problem with Ratings and Reviews
Post by: Roobarb on Sunday 24 August 25 14:13 BST (UK)
I don't use my laptop for Amazon, I use my tablet or phone but I think it's probably the same on all devices.

Click on the number of reviews then scroll down through the ones headed Top Reviews (about eight)  till you come to 'See more reviews '. Click on that, it will take you to the percentages for each rating and you can click on each rating to see the reviews related to it.

Hope this, helps.
Title: Re: Amazon Problem with Ratings and Reviews
Post by: ikas on Sunday 24 August 25 15:21 BST (UK)
Thanks for your reply but it is the number of ratings not reviews that I want to see. I used to be able to see them but now I cannot. I can only see the reviews at each individual star level.
Title: Re: Amazon Problem with Ratings and Reviews
Post by: Roobarb on Sunday 24 August 25 17:16 BST (UK)
Sorry if I'm being thick here - are you saying you want to see how many people have left a star rating but not any comments? And if that's the case, have you scrolled down to the end of the comments in each star rating? I think that's where the ones without comments usually are.
Title: Re: Amazon Problem with Ratings and Reviews
Post by: ikas on Monday 25 August 25 09:12 BST (UK)
Thanks for your interest but no - what I used to be able to do was see the number of ratings at each star level. For example one product had 65 global ratings and when I clicked on the 5* I could see 45 customers had left a 5* rating. The 5* reviews appeared below. Now I cannot see the number of ratings. I can only see the reviews. Very few people leave written reviews. Far fewer than leave ratings. As I said I don't think there is a solution. I am just trying to establish whether some people can still see the number of buyers who have left a rating at 5*, 4* etc.
Title: Re: Amazon Problem with Ratings and Reviews
Post by: aghadowey on Monday 25 August 25 09:22 BST (UK)
Looks like they've made it more complicated  :-\

I went into Amazon and clicked on a product randomly then scrolled down quite a but to find the 'star' section (customer reviews).
If you click on Learn more how customers reviews work on Amazon it says

How we 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.

Not sure if this helps but there's lots more in that section  ::)
Title: Re: Amazon Problem with Ratings and Reviews
Post by: ikas on Monday 25 August 25 09:33 BST (UK)
aghadowey - yes the weighting they employ means I cannot just calculate from the per cent figures againstthe glocal rating figure. When you click on the 5* ratings for that product you looked at can you see the numbrt of 5* ratings it has received? Or, like me, when you click on 5* rating do you just see the reviews.
Title: Re: Amazon Problem with Ratings and Reviews
Post by: aghadowey on Monday 25 August 25 10:03 BST (UK)
For my 'random' item I see
Customer Reviews
343 global ratings
5 star listed as 81%
When I click on 5 star it shows -
69 matching customer reviews

Sounds like what you are also able to see?
Title: Re: Amazon Problem with Ratings and Reviews
Post by: ikas on Monday 25 August 25 11:38 BST (UK)
Yes, exactly what I now see. I have asked several friends to try it and none of them can see the number of ratings. I am beginning to think Amazon have changed the screens for everyone. My friend thought it might be a trial but looks as though it is a full roll-out. Seems bizarre why they should do that. I have tried several times to get an answer on their help lines without success. Thanks anyway for helping.
Title: Re: Amazon Problem with Ratings and Reviews
Post by: Crumblie on Monday 25 August 25 11:44 BST (UK)
I used to be able to scroll through the reviews without siging in to Amazon but that does not work now, perhaps that changed at the same time.
Title: Re: Amazon Problem with Ratings and Reviews
Post by: ikas on Monday 25 August 25 11:50 BST (UK)
Crumblie - yes I have noticed that as well. I did notice it at the same time as I lost the ability to view the number of ratings so perhaps it was also part of the roll-out. Really inconvenient for me.