Overview

Amazon displays every customer review on a product’s detail page, no matter if the shopper bought the item on Amazon or elsewhere. Both verified‑purchase and non‑verified reviews are added to the “X customer reviews” count and are used to compute the average star rating. Sellers must grasp this rule because it directly influences product ranking, buyer trust, and the scope of feedback they need to monitor.

Key Points

• All reviews increase the displayed total — Whether a comment carries the green “Verified Purchase” badge or not, it is included in the figure that reads “X customer reviews.” For example, a 5‑star review from a buyer who purchased on a competitor’s site still raises the count from 12 to 13.
• Every review shapes the average rating — Amazon averages the star values of every posted review, regardless of verification status. A 4‑star verified review combined with a 2‑star non‑verified review results in a (4 + 2) ÷ 2 = 3‑star overall rating.
• The verification badge is informational only — The badge does not give a review extra weight in the algorithm; it simply tells shoppers the purchase channel. A verified 3‑star review and a non‑verified 3‑star review contribute equally to the final average.
• Non‑verified feedback can sway search placement — Because Amazon uses the overall rating as a ranking signal, a single low‑scoring non‑verified review can drop the rating enough to affect organic visibility. A product that falls from 4.6 to 4.3 stars may slip several positions in search results.
• Seller‑generated reviews are stripped out — Reviews posted by a seller on behalf of a buyer without an Amazon order are automatically removed and never count toward the total or the rating. If a seller tries to add a 5‑star comment after a phone call, Amazon’s system will delete it.
• Monitoring both review types is essential — Ignoring non‑verified comments leaves a blind spot where negative sentiment can accumulate unnoticed. A brand that tracks all reviews can react to a 1‑star non‑verified complaint before it harms the rating.

How Amazon Review System Works