Yet again Amazon leads the way in presenting user-generate content in ways that work for consumers, even if on the surface it presents its products (and their makers) in a bad light.
As the volume of consumer reviews grows on their site, it was becoming a challenge for people to make sense of it all. To solve this, Amazon now highlights the most useful positive and negative review, allowing you to quickly form your own opinion and judge both sides of the feedback. (see attached screenshot)
They also helpfully show the distribution of star ratings so you can tell if, for example, an average rated product is universally thought to be average, or just strongly polarises opinion.
Bravo to Amazon for grounding their design in what is really going to be helpful, and not just appeasing their product makers and ultimately affecting their own audience share and commercial value.
