Overview

Amazon is overhauling its seller feedback system with a significant change that took effect on February 4, 2025. Customers can now leave star-only ratings without writing any text, a move designed to increase feedback volume across the marketplace. The update also introduces automatic filtering of irrelevant and abusive ratings, giving sellers new protections against unfair scores.

What's Changing

• Star-only ratings accepted — Buyers can now submit a seller rating by simply selecting a star count, with no written comments required. Text feedback remains optional.
• Low rating justification required — Any rating below four stars requires the customer to select a specific reason before submitting. Amazon reviews these reasons against its feedback eligibility criteria.
• Automatic irrelevant feedback filtering — If a low rating stems from dissatisfaction with the product itself rather than the seller's service, Amazon will automatically exclude it from the seller's feedback profile.
• Automated abusive feedback removal — New detection systems identify and remove retaliatory or fraudulent feedback without sellers needing to file manual disputes.

How the Simplified System Works

The updated process gives customers two paths: tap a star rating and submit immediately, or add written comments alongside their star selection. By removing the writing requirement, Amazon has lowered the barrier to leaving feedback considerably. Many buyers who had positive experiences previously skipped feedback entirely because they did not want to compose a review.

Amazon's internal testing found that the star-only option drives a meaningful increase in overall rating volume. Most of these new ratings come from satisfied customers who would not have bothered writing a full review. For sellers who consistently deliver strong service, this should translate into higher feedback counts and potentially improved overall scores over time.

Seller Protections Built Into the System

The most consequential part of this update is the protection layer for sellers. When a buyer selects a rating below four stars, they must choose a reason for their dissatisfaction. Amazon's system then evaluates whether that reason reflects the seller's actual performance or relates to something outside their control.