Amazon ratings fix?

shaldna · Mar 4, 2011

Saw this article in the daily mail today

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...-52-star-Amazon-reviews-days-publication.html

Alpha Echo · Mar 4, 2011

I wouldn't blame Amazon. What do they have to gain from it, really? With all the other stuff they sell and all the other ways they make money. I'd blame the author or her friends and family, personally, if I felt like placing blame.

Although, people do put a lot of stock into those reviews. I know I like to check out reviews before I buy something, but as a semi-smart consumer, if I saw all those 5 stars and nothing else, I would be skeptical that the book was actually worth all those stars. And also as a semi-smart consumer, I don't base my final decision whether to buy or not on only the reviews I read.

Sheryl Nantus · Mar 4, 2011

I never take the reviews that seriously because of the lack of spread between the ratings.

No one is ever going to have EVERYONE like their book so when I see only five-star reviews I assume there's a bit of tomfoolery going on.

I respect lesser reviews who detail why they didn't give the book five stars.

I've also read about authors going on a rampage when they get anything less than five stars, so... let's just say I don't take the Amazon reviews all that seriously.

but that's just me.

aruna · Mar 4, 2011

She probably asked all her friends and her Pilates class to write rave reviews.

aruna · Mar 4, 2011

Just read some of those 5* reviews. Honestly, I wonder where some women's heads are that they need a book like this to "see the light" when they turn 40! Talk about gush...! "This book brought me Enlightenment at last!!!!!!"

And since when is menopause a taboo subject among women? Certainly not among my female friends and me.

TrixieLox · Mar 7, 2011

Well, if the reviews are fake, it's totally backfired. People are now giving it 1 and 2 star reviews. Yikes!

djf881 · Mar 7, 2011

Lots of reviews seem fake or planted, or there may simply be a some bloggers who will post a 5-star review for anyone who sends them a free copy.

A lot of cheap e-books in the top 100 paid store were given away for free at sometime, and I suspect that, if you move a free e-book into the paid store, the free downloads count toward its ranking on the paid list.

I've also heard about another loophole in Amazon's ranking system that some self-pubbed authors may have exploited. I don't want to publicize the mechanism, but I view Kindle sales rankings as being highly questionable.

Chris P · Mar 7, 2011

I was quite disheartened when I learned the reviews were sometimes planted.

I also wondered how some reviewers have reviewed 5000 books when there is no way they could have read them. Are these people employed by the publisher, given the text, and then set to posting? I'm honestly curious about that.

The only time the reviews sway me is if I'm on the fence about buying the book. Even then, I only pay attention to the reviews of people who have clearly read the book and have both good and bad to say about it. I decide if the good is truly good or if the bad is truly bad.

Polenth · Mar 7, 2011

aruna said:
Just read some of those 5* reviews. Honestly, I wonder where some women's heads are that they need a book like this to "see the light" when they turn 40! Talk about gush...! "This book brought me Enlightenment at last!!!!!!"

And it changed their lives in a few days! Or for those posting on release day, a few hours.

Mr Flibble · Mar 7, 2011

aruna said:
She probably asked all her friends and her Pilates class to write rave reviews.

Ooh, good idea! *joins Pilates class*

RIFF · Mar 10, 2011

What, the writing biz is fixed, too? Like Hollywood and the music biz? That's it, I quit, that'll learn them.

PortableHal · Mar 10, 2011

I check the reviews but tastes differ. I know many people who liked TWILIGHT, the bestselling YA title, and I did not. Since I'm a Kindle-addict, I download the free sample and make my call from there.

scarletpeaches · Mar 10, 2011

Good God; authors getting their friends to five-star their books? I've never heard the like.

Next you'll have fangirls deliberately two-starring their kommandants' enemies' books.

Carmy · Mar 13, 2011

Just recently Amazon seems to have been doing a "clean sweep" of reviews an author probably placed himself or had family and friends write. Often, glowing 5-star reviews have no substance. Amazon is catching on fast.

When I search for a book, I always look at Look Inside to gauge the standard of writing and if it would interest me. Then I look at the reviews. It's amazing how many glowing and empty reviews there are while one will often stand alongside and give a one-star damning review. More often than not, I agree with the one-star comments and will not buy the book.

When are authors going to learn they're shooting themselves in the foot by getting family and friends to post reviews?

Amazon ratings fix?

shaldna

The cake is a lie. But still cake.

Alpha Echo

I should be writing.

Sheryl Nantus

Holding out for a Superhero...

aruna

On a wing and a prayer

aruna

On a wing and a prayer

TrixieLox

Benefactor Member

djf881

AW Addict

Chris P

Likes metaphors mixed, not stirred

Polenth

Mushroom

Mr Flibble

They've been very bad, Mr Flibble

RIFF

PortableHal

Not-so-new

scarletpeaches

Carmy