Amazon has begun unmerging variated product reviews on certain listings as part of an active experiment. For sellers, this change can mean a sudden drop in visible review counts, shifts in conversion rates, and a new reality where every variation must truly perform and earn trust on its own, without relying on the success of other variations.
What are Merged Variated ASIN Reviews on Amazon?
Historically, child ASINs have displayed the review count of the parent ASIN on Amazon. This means the parent ASIN’s average rating and total review count appear across all child ASINS, allowing stronger variations to support weaker ones and giving new variations instant credibility at launch.
How are Product Reviews Starting to Appear on Amazon?
Review sharing between variations has been disabled on select listings as part of Amazon’s test. For impacted ASINs, each child ASIN now displays its own individual star rating and review count. Unfortunately, this has led to dramatic drops in visible social proof for many listings.
Why is Amazon Unmerging Variation Reviews?
This change is intended to improve customer experience. As a shopper, having only reviews associated with the exact product you’re viewing is beneficial. After all, many sellers hide a poorly performing variation behind higher-rated versions of the product – removing that option creates better transparency for customers.
Why Amazon’s Decision to Unmerge Variated Product Reviews Impact Sales & Conversion?
When a child ASIN’s average rating is lower than the parent rating, consumer confidence can quickly decline. This leads to lower conversion rates, slowing down sales. New variation with zero reviews will also struggle to gain early traction, making new product launches more challenging than before. If the child ASIN’s average rating is lower than the parent ASIN’s, you may notice a decline in orders placed for the item due to a decline in consumer confidence.
With the constant updates in online marketplaces, it’s important to stay up-to-date with the latest changes. If you're a client looking for more information, contact your account team! If you’re interested in learning more about how Blue Wheel can aid in your brand efforts in online marketplaces, schedule a consultation with our team, we would love to hear from you.
For more updates on marketplaces, visit our full Marketplace Updates content gallery
Julia Asburry is the Senior Marketplace Support Analyst at Blue Wheel, where she plays a vital role in enhancing Account Health and Customer Service management. Her work empowers our clients to not just sustain, but truly thrive in the eCommerce landscape. With over half a decade of diverse experience in the industry, she wears many hats within the organization, bringing a wealth of expertise that propels us forward and helps set us apart.
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