Why Do Negative Amazon Reviews Keep Getting Rejected?

OnlyOneStar on 19/01/2025 - 09:35
Last edited 19/01/2025 - 09:36

I recently bought a product on Amazon that was advertised as made in Australia (based on the photos and description). But when it arrived, I found out it was made in another country. To help others avoid the same mistake, I gave the product two stars and wrote a review explaining this. At the end, I added: “This is not made in Australia, just so you know.” However, Amazon rejected the review, saying it violated their policies.

I’ve edited the review three times, but it keeps getting rejected. I’m worried that my account might get suspended if I keep trying. If it happens again, I might stop writing negative reviews.

Another time, I received a product with completely torn packaging, and the product inside was dirty with debris. The packaging was poorly patched up with Amazon tape. I wrote a review saying: “Sending torn packaging poorly taped up isn’t acceptable, and packaging management should improve.” But that review was also rejected. When I removed the part about the packaging, the review was finally accepted.

The strange part is that I’ve seen other reviews that mention damaged packaging with simple comments like: “The product arrived with damaged packaging.” These reviews were posted without any issues.

Has Amazon changed its review policy? I’ve given up trying to write negative reviews (2-3 stars) and now request refunds if I can. I rely on reviews to decide what to buy, which has been frustrating.

Is it just me, or are others having the same experience?

General Discussion

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Comments

  • foxmulder on 19/01/2025 - 09:48
    +1

    There is a difference in leaving seller rating and product review. If you leave a product review on seller rating, seller can easily ask that review to be removed

    • OnlyOneStar on 19/01/2025 - 09:57

      I left a review for a product sold by Amazon, but it got rejected. Reviews with five stars always get approved, but 2-3 reviews get rejected. 😢

      They always get rejected if I include damaged packaging (tears, holes), wrong origin/country, or incorrect ingredient info in 2-3 star reviews. Ingredients and materials are essential for buying decisions, so it’s frustrating that I can’t share these reviews.

      • reactor-au on 20/01/2025 - 10:43

        anything related to delivery and packing will be rejected as that is a review of the order fulfillment not the product.

        I'm going to guess that the place is manufacturer is a listing issue not a product review, best to report the issue to Amazon to correct the listing rather than leave a review.

        • bluesky on 20/01/2025 - 12:00

          best to report the issue to Amazon to correct the listing

          And this may not work either … see my comment below.

  • Sye on 19/01/2025 - 10:02

    CAPITALI$M, Bezos needs more money for his penis rockets.

  • Protractor on 19/01/2025 - 10:05

    Care to share the product type ( without the actual store ,if it helps) ?

    • OnlyOneStar on 19/01/2025 - 12:31

      Most include grains, groceries, and beauty products such as beans, tissues, soaps, etc.

      • Protractor on 19/01/2025 - 12:34
        +3

        Okee, as for the food part then the country of origin is even more relevant.

        • OnlyOneStar on 19/01/2025 - 12:41
          +1

          I once bought soap because it was advertised as being made in Australia, but when it arrived, it turned out to be made in another country. Since the information was different, I considered asking for a refund but decided to just use it and mention the issue in my review. However, the review was flagged as a policy violation twice, asking me to revise it. I eventually gave up on posting it.

          • Protractor on 19/01/2025 - 12:55

            @OnlyOneStar: I've had issues with a review about a popular courier mob on a review site, and they kept knocking it back so I gave up. It seemed inside their guidelines at the getgo and I kept peeling it back, not knowing what the offending component was. They should point out the problem. Maybe that's the plan.Ppl giving up.

            • OnlyOneStar on 19/01/2025 - 13:13
              +1

              @Protractor: I think the same. In the end, it seems like the goal is to make people give up on writing reviews so they can keep selling products.

  • Jimothy Wongingtons on 19/01/2025 - 10:06
    +1

    How odd I’ve left a whole heap of 1-2 star reviews for shit products that had straight up misleading to false listings, or just poor quality product in general

    • OnlyOneStar on 19/01/2025 - 12:34

      I usually give 5-star reviews. However, when the product quality is poor, the information provided is misleading or different, or the item arrives damaged, Amazon seems to reject my reviews when I mention those issues.

  • AustriaBargain on 19/01/2025 - 11:33

    The packaging of the package doesn't have anything to do with the item itself, not directly. You are meant to be reviewing the item. Not the packaging, not the organisational structure of the company behind it, none of that. The reviews are for sharing a review of the item only, so other people can know if that item is worth buying or not.

    Having said that, I think the way I phrase reviews lets me slip in details like that unnoticed.

    • OnlyOneStar on 19/01/2025 - 12:39
      +2

      I can somewhat understand rejecting reviews about packaging. However, rejecting reviews that point out incorrect product information doesn’t make much sense to me, and I don’t just focus on that.

      For example, I bought kidney beans listed as Australian-grown, but I received Canadian-grown beans instead. Many of the beans were also damaged, which shows poor quality. I usually write, “The beans are of low quality, with many damaged pieces, and they’re actually produced in Canada.”

      However, the review gets rejected whenever I include this kind of information about incorrect product details. At this point, I feel I should keep it to myself and move on.

      • RotundPolarBear on 19/01/2025 - 13:06
        +4

        Your review would actually have been useful to me.

        • OnlyOneStar on 19/01/2025 - 17:17
          +2

          I’m glad you think so, but I can’t write reviews anymore since they are rejected.

      • Tiller76 on 20/01/2025 - 12:26

        Are you actually stating that "the product information is misleading/false" or just saying the product is not Australian or product is made in XYZ country? I ask as depending on how it is said, maybe it is being interpreted as "racist"? That is the only thing I can suggest as to why it was rejected.

  • bluesky on 19/01/2025 - 14:43
    +4

    Not regarding reviews, but similarly pointing to the fact that they were not keen to fix descriptions that could mislead, like country of origin. I once bought toothpaste labeled as made in Germany, but when I received it, it was from another country. I contacted them for refund, but also emphasised that they need to correct the description, for the benefit of future buyers. Nothing was done about the latter, although I did get the refund.

    • OnlyOneStar on 19/01/2025 - 17:14
      +4

      Is misleading information not illegal in Australia? I wonder if Amazon is an exception to this rule.

      • bluesky on 20/01/2025 - 12:05

        It is … but I suspect they are undertaking a cost benefit analysis, of actually fixing the issues, as opposed to the insignificant cost or "slap on the wrist" fine if a complaint ever gets escalated to that stage.

    • reactor-au on 20/01/2025 - 12:08

      I doubt refunds request agent is going to also log a ticket for description fix, recommend to open a seperate request. That said, Amazon might have a minimum number of complaint before fixing the description, or they might have a different process for third party listing.

      • OnlyOneStar on 20/01/2025 - 12:28
        +2

        I once reported to customer service that the origin information was incorrect. They offered me a refund, but I requested them to correct the information instead. They said they would escalate it to the relevant department, but even after six months, the origin information has not been updated. It seems Amazon is not particularly interested in correcting such information.

        • reactor-au on 20/01/2025 - 12:40
          -1

          Well you did your bit, not really much else you can do

      • bluesky on 20/01/2025 - 12:58

        Well, I requested in the same call, after the refund issue, to open an issue to fix the incorrect listing. The customer personnel took the request. The personnel did not say I must speak with someone else or be transferred to another department to log this request.

        Although you could be right about minimum complaints before they take action - that itself shows poor commitment to accurate and non-misleading info for the customers.

  • JIMB0 on 19/01/2025 - 15:22
    +5

    I don't trust reviews, Google censored my 1 star reviews so that they don't show up to the general public.

    • OnlyOneStar on 19/01/2025 - 17:16
      +3

      I’ve had a similar experience. For some reason, it seems that one-star reviews often don’t appear. That’s why I prefer checking sites like ProductReview instead.

  • kiwijunglist on 20/01/2025 - 07:25
    +3

    4 x 20tb seagate iron wolf, all dead on arrival, poor packaging. My review was rejected because i made a comment about the packaging.

    • OBEY YOUR MASTERS on 20/01/2025 - 09:08

      Did you get replacements? Did it cost you to send them back?

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