1 Star Unverified Review On a New Product
Hi everyone,
I recently launched a brand new product on Amazon, and I used the Vine program to get initial reviews. All of them were 5-star reviews because the product is genuinely high-quality and well-received. However, out of nowhere, I received a 1-star unverified review from someone who didn’t even purchase the product.
This is incredibly frustrating, especially since the product is new and has very few reviews. That single 1-star review has dropped the overall rating to 3.7 stars, which is devastating for a product that was otherwise doing so well.
I wouldn’t have minded if the review was genuine—if a real customer had purchased the product and had a negative experience—but this seems absurd since they never bought it. I also know the rules and can assure you that the product is exclusively sold on Amazon, so there’s no chance they purchased it elsewhere.
What’s more frustrating is that when I checked the reviewer’s profile, I noticed they’ve left multiple 1-star reviews on other products too. It seems like they might be targeting products unfairly or just leaving negative reviews indiscriminately.
I contacted Amazon support to report this issue, hoping they could remove the unverified review. Unfortunately, I was told that nothing could be done about it, which feels incredibly unfair given the circumstances. It’s disheartening that a single malicious review can impact a product’s performance so significantly, and there’s no recourse for sellers.
This feels unethical and is really damaging to the business and the product’s lifespan. A 3.7-star rating is a major hurdle for sales, as most customers won’t even consider buying a product with that rating.
Has anyone else faced this situation? If so, how did you handle it? I’d appreciate any advice on how to approach this issue with Amazon or mitigate the damage.
1 Star Unverified Review On a New Product
Hi everyone,
I recently launched a brand new product on Amazon, and I used the Vine program to get initial reviews. All of them were 5-star reviews because the product is genuinely high-quality and well-received. However, out of nowhere, I received a 1-star unverified review from someone who didn’t even purchase the product.
This is incredibly frustrating, especially since the product is new and has very few reviews. That single 1-star review has dropped the overall rating to 3.7 stars, which is devastating for a product that was otherwise doing so well.
I wouldn’t have minded if the review was genuine—if a real customer had purchased the product and had a negative experience—but this seems absurd since they never bought it. I also know the rules and can assure you that the product is exclusively sold on Amazon, so there’s no chance they purchased it elsewhere.
What’s more frustrating is that when I checked the reviewer’s profile, I noticed they’ve left multiple 1-star reviews on other products too. It seems like they might be targeting products unfairly or just leaving negative reviews indiscriminately.
I contacted Amazon support to report this issue, hoping they could remove the unverified review. Unfortunately, I was told that nothing could be done about it, which feels incredibly unfair given the circumstances. It’s disheartening that a single malicious review can impact a product’s performance so significantly, and there’s no recourse for sellers.
This feels unethical and is really damaging to the business and the product’s lifespan. A 3.7-star rating is a major hurdle for sales, as most customers won’t even consider buying a product with that rating.
Has anyone else faced this situation? If so, how did you handle it? I’d appreciate any advice on how to approach this issue with Amazon or mitigate the damage.
0 respuestas
Seller_CW0P5hgbsiqWX
Yes, it is frustrating, but the review is there to stay. While Amazon promotes the Vine program as a benefit to sellers, often users fine just what you are experiencing. Those buyers are under no obligation to leave any review, and what they say, stays there.
Personal feedback comes at an average rate of 1-2 per 100 sales and Reviews come even less. So, after a few thousand more sales it will slowly move down the page.
Seller_oDXVaydIpi3Hi
We had a listing and started advertising it. That day we got an unverified 1 star review. Had never even sold 1. Amazon, in its infinite wisdom, refused to remove the review that was obviously fake because "they could have bought this somewhere other than Amazon." Fast forward 2 years. We got an email that they removed the review from a "malicious actor." Enough people must have gotten hit by them and complained. Pathetic it took 2 years.
The good news for you is that you will still sell things at 3.7 stars. Unless they continue to hit your reviews and drag you down a lot further. Just a month ago we had one of ours at 4.4 and a new person started selling the same scented lotion in their brand (someone who is in the forums often as of late). Our ACOS went wildly high wasting hundreds in ad spend which is clearly click fraud, then 5 bad reviews in a row. Took us to around 3.5 stars on that product. It did impact our sales, but they are slowly coming back. Eventually Amazon will hopefully do something. Though if they do it may take 2 years!
I'd look at doing some discounted sales per day for a few weeks just to keep the volume up, and try to sell 2-3xs the discounted ones per day at regular price. It will all work out in the end. Goodluck!
Seller_bhlLloRNTVot6
I got a one star "review" and they literally were asking about the dimensions of the product in their review. All the info was in the description.
Seller_XEE3PatfjA5Gc
THE SAME THING HAPPENED TO ME!!!!! NOW THAT I AM NOT ALONE, I'M CONVINCED THIS IS TARGETED. I CONTACTED AMAZON AND THEY SAID THAT THE REVIEW WAS WITHIN THE GUIDELINES!!! HOW IS THIS FAIR WHEN THE PERSON NEVER PURCHASED THE PRODUCT!!???
Seller_LBQZt4wWsFSsy
Hi Kisscoast,
You can keep making a new case for help after several days.
Danny_Amazon
Hello @Seller_WaZbRSgHEbreI- and thanks for joining us here on the seller forums! We are excited to welcome you to this community.
I am sorry to hear about this negative review from a non-Verified Purchase. It is true that buyers who meet our eligibility criteria in our Community Guidelines can review any product on Amazon, regardless of where they purchased that product. You can look to these answers to questions about product reviews for additional information.
As you mentioned some suspicious behavior from this reviewer's profile, I would recommend reporting the profile as a whole from their profile page, as well as requesting the removal of the review by following the directions within this post, if the review departs from the Community Guidelines. You can also reach out to community-help@amazon.com to provide information, though it's important to note this team may not respond to all submissions, but all submissions will be reviewed for appropriate action.
Thank you again for creating this discussion, and please let me know if you have any further questions on the above content.
Best,
Danny
Seller_AYEbz2aTcc94H
Amazon should bring back comments on product reviews to help sellers assist customers. Even 5-star reviews can be misleading. For example, a customer mentioned our Bluetooth product worked with their WiFi, which is incorrect. Comments would let us clarify such issues. Additionally, comments allow us to address concerns, like when a customer states, "it broke in 2 years and I can't get a refund." We offer lifetime replacements, and commenting would help inform customers of this policy. (An extended warranty, like our 5-year offer, helps us stay competitive against cheaper Chinese knockoffs on Temu, which benefit from government subsidies. It’s in Amazon’s best interest to promote superior warranties to compete with these foreign sellers.) Amazon, please reinstate product comments.
Seller_DmpA5Opgyzwu2
The Chinese Sellers really know how to target competitors with fake reviews and get hundreds of 5 star reviews on just launched products...
Amazon needs to start policing the Chinese Sellers that are mass manipulating reviews!
Thanks
Seller_RJ2F4mEAQyNy1
I did Amazon's free vine not long ago, there is a review is 3 stars, the reason is that the product is very good but a little expensive, but she is free, it can be seen that the level of consumption is reducing (not to mention the country), so the second vine no one, the order is also blocked, really uncomfortable, I feel the same, hope you can have a good solution.
Seller_3f5HRuLsKFxRK
I'm sorry about your issue with the review. The exact same thing has happened several times with some of my new listings, and yes, it can destroy the product's chance of being successful. Most of the time, the product cannot recover from it.
Unverified reviews should not be allowed because the person who reviewed them clearly did not buy or test the product. It also leaves a huge opportunity for black-hat competitors to lie and take down the competition.
Even though Amazon knows the problem, they don't care.
And now that they are courting Chinese sellers because they want to compete with Temu, the little hope I had to see this issue fixed is gone.
Anyway, as a solution, depending on the number of reviews you already have, it is worth it to delete the listing and start back from zero. Nevertheless, if the review came from the competition, they would do the same thing repeatedly, and you cannot do anything.
I truly believe that the real solution would be for sellers to review customers, just like it happens on eBay. This way, sellers could spot schemes and share the info with other sellers. That is only fair.
Good luck!
