Overview

Starting February 12 2026 and continuing through May 31 2026, Amazon will modify the way customer reviews are shared among product variations. Only variations that differ in minor, non‑functional ways—such as color or size—will continue to pool reviews, while those with substantial feature, material, or performance differences will maintain separate review histories. Sellers need to adjust their variation structures now to avoid sudden drops in star ratings and review counts.

Key Points

• Selective sharing — Reviews will be pooled only for variations that have cosmetic or dimensional differences, like a red versus blue shirt.
• Functional splits — Variations that differ in core attributes—such as a stainless‑steel versus a plastic kitchen gadget—will each keep an independent review set.
• Staggered rollout — Amazon will apply the new rule category by category between February 12 and May 31 2026, giving each product line a specific activation date.
• 30‑day warning — Sellers will receive an email at least 30 days before the policy takes effect for their particular category, allowing time for corrective action.
• Re‑evaluation possible – Updating a variation theme after the rollout can trigger a fresh review‑pool assessment, potentially restoring shared reviews for qualifying items.

How Review Sharing Works

1. Identify eligible variation themes — Amazon checks whether the chosen theme (e.g., color, size, pack quantity) reflects only superficial differences. A king‑size duvet listed under the “size” theme will still share reviews with a queen‑size version because the core function—providing bedding—remains unchanged.
2. Evaluate functional attributes — If the system detects material, feature‑set, or performance changes, it separates the review pools. For example, a cordless drill with a lithium‑ion battery and a corded version of the same model will no longer share reviews because battery type materially affects user experience.
3. Assign review pools — Eligible variations are linked to a single review database, while non‑eligible ones receive distinct review histories. A lemon‑scented cleaning spray and its unscented counterpart will stay in a shared pool because scent is not the primary product attribute, whereas a scented candle that differs in fragrance intensity may be split if the fragrance defines the product’s purpose.