Amazon is changing how reviews are shared and combined across product variations. For years, sellers have relied on shared reviews across variations to help new listings gain traction and to help support weaker listings. This will no longer be allowed under Amazon’s new review sharing guidelines. This change matters because some listings may show fewer reviews or a lower star rating, which can hurt conversion rates and increase ad costs. Amazon is implementing this change to improve customer trust by ensuring reviews actually match the product being viewed. This improves the shopping experience by removing misleading or irrelevant feedback. In this post we’ll cover the changes to Amazon’s review sharing guidelines, ways sellers can confirm if their variations will be impacted, and steps sellers should take with their variations.
What Amazon Is Changing About Review Sharing Across Variations
Amazon is moving away from broadly sharing reviews across all child ASINs within a product variation. Currently, all reviews and star ratings are shared across all variations even if the products have significant differences in features or specifications. This means all child ASINs within a variation automatically share the same pool of reviews and display the combined total of reviews plus the same overall star rating on the product detail page. This can lead to reviews that don’t accurately reflect the specific product a customer is viewing.
Starting February 12th, reviews and star ratings will only be shared between variations with minor differences that don’t affect functionality. This change is intended to improve review accuracy and help shoppers make more informed purchasing decisions. Variations that differ in functionality will no longer share reviews with one another, forcing each ASIN to build its own review history based on its actual performance. This allows customers to better understand product-specific feedback before making a purchase. For sellers, this is important when it comes to merchandising your product on Amazon
Here are examples of when reviews will be shared across variations:
Color or Pattern: Same product, different visual style (like shirts in different colors or bags with different patterns)
Size and Dimensions: Same function, different size or shape (like ladder shelf in 3-tier vs 5-tier or queen bedding vs king bedding)
Pack Size/Quantity: Same product, different amounts (like shampoo in 250 ml vs 500 ml or multi-pack of cleaning cloths vs single pack)
Scent (Secondary): Scent is not the main product feature (like cleaning products with different scents or scented trash bags)
Fitment for different models: Same product designed to fit various devices or vehicles (like auto parts for different cars, lenses for different mounts, or phone cases for different phone models)
Here are examples of when reviews will not be shared across variations:
Performance and Power: Differences in memory, speed, power output, or other functional specs (like laptops with different RAM or drills with different power ratings)
Home Appliances (Different power by size): Appliances where power changes with size (like waffle maker for 2 vs 4 waffles or air conditioners with different cooling capacity)
Platform Compatibility: Products for different devices or operating systems (like headphones for PC vs gaming consoles or video games for Xbox vs PlayStation)
Model or Generation: Different named models or product generations (like different models of a printer or different generations of a router)
Bundles and Accessories: Main product vs. product plus accessories (like camera vs camera with extra lens or printer vs printer with paper)
Flavor, Ingredients, or Formulation: Different taste or composition in food, drinks, or supplements (like protein shakes in chocolate vs vanilla or pet food with chicken vs salmon)
Scent (Primary): Scent is a key buying factor (like perfumes, candles, essential oils, air fresheners)
Fit or Special Sizes: Clothing with different fits or special size types (like slim fit vs regular fit jeans or petite vs tall dress sizes)
Material Composition or Finish: Different metals, fabrics, or finishes that change performance or feel (like stainless steel vs aluminum cookware or cotton vs polyester shirts)
Design Differences: Jewelry or other items with substantially different design elements (like necklaces with different gemstones or pendants with different clasp types)
Use-Case or Intended User: Different products for skill levels, gender, or other user profiles (like golf clubs for beginners vs advanced players or skincare for dry skin vs oily skin)
Amazon will be gradually implementing this change across product categories between February 12, 2026 and May 31, 2026. Sellers with impacted variations can expect to receive an email notification 30 days before any changes are applied.
How Amazon Sellers Can Confirm Current Variation Will Be Impacted
It’s recommended that sellers audit their variations to see which variation themes they are using. Sellers can view their variation themes multiple ways to perform this internal check. One way is to use the Manage All Inventory page to search a specific ASIN and view the backend product information. After selecting “Edit Listing” you’ll be able to view the product’s current variation type. Another option is going to the Inventory Reports page and downloading a Category Listings Report. Within this report is a section for variations and it includes the existing variation themes for all of the ASINs in your catalog. Compare your existing variation themes to Amazon’s new review sharing guidelines to understand if reviews will be shared or not.
Actions Sellers Should Take With Variations and Review Sharing
Even with Amazon sending email notifications, sellers should take steps to review their existing variations. The first step is confirming variation structures and making sure all of the products grouped together are the same core product with only minor, non-functional differences. The next step is confirming the current variations were created using the correct variation themes. For example, using the color variation theme for color differences instead of using the style variation theme. Make any necessary changes to the variation themes and then compare them with Amazon’s new guidelines to understand whether the variations will share reviews or not. If variations are not going to be sharing reviews, view this as an opportunity to strengthen each child ASIN to stand on its own. Understanding the updated guidelines will help sellers create new variations in the future also.
Frequently Asked Questions Amazon Review Sharing Variation Policy
What is an Amazon product variation?
Product variations allow customers to compare and choose products based on different attributes such as size, color, or flavor on a single product detail page.
What is review sharing across variations?
The practice of pooling all reviews across every child ASIN in a variation and displaying the same total review count and star rating on each product detail page.
How is Amazon updating their review sharing guidelines?
Reviews and star ratings will only be shared between variations with minor differences that don’t affect functionality.
Why is Amazon changing their review sharing guidelines?
Amazon is changing review sharing to improve customer trust and review accuracy.
When will these changes be implemented?
Amazon will be gradually implementing this across product categories between February 12, 2026 and May 31, 2026.
How can I confirm if my variation will be impacted or not?
Sellers can view existing variations within Seller Central using Manage All Inventory or a category listing report.
Will I receive a notification if my variation is impacted?
Yes, sellers with impacted variations should receive an email notification 30 days before any changes are applied.
Conclusion
Amazon’s shift in how reviews are shared across product variations marks a major change in how social proof works on the platform. Reviews have always been one of the biggest drivers of conversion and for years sellers have used shared reviews to give new or weaker listings a boost. Under the new guidelines, that approach won’t work for every product category and now some listings will see fewer review counts and lower star ratings. While this change may feel disruptive, it’s designed to build greater customer trust by ensuring that reviews actually reflect the exact product being viewed. If you would like Goat Consulting to help with your variations, please reach out through our contact us button below.
About the Author - Mike Gray
This post was written by Mike Gray, an Account Manager at Goat Consulting. Mike helps his clients sell on Amazon by increasing sales, mitigating risk, reducing costs, and solving problems. Mike has experience and expertise in review sharing variation policies that align with the overall Amazon selling strategy and goals for his Goat Consulting clients. If you want help with variation creation, or assist with other aspects of selling on Amazon, Mike is happy to lead your account.