Zalando removes product reviews

Online marketplace Zalando has removed product reviews from its platform. Instead of posting a review about a product, customers can now answer a survey about the product information featured on a page.

Generally, product reviews are an important part of ecommerce in Europe. For example, research last year found that at least 55 percent of Germans base online purchasing decisions on reviews.

However, fake reviews are a common problem in the sector as well. The European Commission has already urged online platforms to take action against fake reviews in the past.

Discussion on Linkedin

In a surprising move, Zalando has decided to remove all product reviews from its platform. Several professionals in the online sector noticed the removal and started discussions on Linkedin. Zalando itself has not made an announcement yet, so it is unclear whether this is a test or a permanent decision.

‘Zalando has not announced the removal of reviews yet.’

In July, the marketplace introduced a body measurement feature, which is supposed to assist customers in finding the right size. The advice is based on their own measurements, which are saved after taking two pictures of themselves. This is supposed to help customers find the right size at first try. This could mean that the platform wants to test which factors influence its conversion rates.

Survey instead of reviews

On product pages, visitors can no longer see any product reviews. The platform does still offer product information. Beneath that information, visitors are shown a survey where they are asked whether the provided information helps them in making a purchase decision.