Is there an Amazon.com API to retrieve product reviews?

Should product reviews have more options or less?

• There are many different types of product reviews. Some have more options than others. Amazon, and Apple make it very simple to review where as other sites provide more detailed options, such as Gdgt or Epinions. Simplified Reviews - These are the type of product reviews where there are less options available. For example, a one to five star rating and a comment. Sophisticated Reviews - These are the type of product reviews where more options are available. For example, a one to five star rating per category (or higher), and additional options for comments per category allowing for a more detailed assessment of the product. The question then becomes which type lends itself to a better and more accurate product review?

• Answer:

  It depends on a number of factors whether a simplified review or a sophisticated review will work better. For example, if people are wanting to compare two products on ratings/reviews, then it is possible only in case of a sophisticated review. Based on our experience, we have observed that in certain categories like Mobiles, Kitchen and Home Appliances, people do want to be able to compare products on users' opinion without having to read through all the reviews. Even in case of simplified reviews, most reviews site apply some NLP technologies to tag the reviews on various relevant parameters. For example, in case of a mobile review, the site would try to tag it on battery life, value for money etc as these are the parameters people are generally interested in and they don't want their users to go through tons of reviews text. We at http://reviews42.com ask our community members to rate the product comprehensively on various parameters which we have customized for more than 200 categories and it is working very well for us. So, overall for users looking for quick reviews snapshot, a sophisticated review will work better but for people having enough time and enthusiasm to go through all the reviews text, a simplified review will work better.