An Amazon Experiment

I would like to try something and would like your help.

On Amazon there is a place for people to write reviews of books and for readers of those reviews to indicate if they were helpful or not.

I would like to see what it takes to bump a review and replace it with others. Obviously I would like for less favorable reviews to be replaced with positive ones, but more importantly I would like to see how it works. And, additionally, what happens to the Amazon ranking when positive reviews outnumber less positive ones.

This is where you come in.

First, would you be willing to go here and make a positive review of the Preaching Re-Imagined. It needs to be some real comment and not a quipping little, "this is the best book ever" kind of statement. It need not be long, but truly reflective. Those who have made their own blog comments could use those. You also give it a certain number of stars, I would count 4 and 5 stars to be in this category.

Second, would you indicate that any less than positive reviews were "not helpful". I am not trying to limit negative reaction, really I am not, I am trying to see how they are ordered and ranked. Oh, please indicate that ratings of 4 and 5 stars was helpful.

There are only 3 reviews on their now so this will not take long.

For those who think this is an attempt to control the supposed unbiased rating system of Amazon with intentional manipulation, well, so what? It is not for greed but to try and learn this system for a larger goal I cannot talk about yet.

Thanks.

So, look what a person called "concerned parent" posted:

don't beg for good reviews, October 23, 2005
I haven't read the book and I'm not going to. I just want to post that the author is trying to sway opinion on this book by getting as many people as he can to respond with positive feedback, regardless of what they really felt. He hopes that if there is enough positive feedback, it will drive the negative comments off the record. Talk about a cheat! Please, everyone, post your real feelings and observations about this book. Don't let the author get away with trying to tip the scales in his favor. Make him earn any praise and make sure he sees the flaws as well.

Now is that just rude? This is really not an attempt to sway people's thinking, as I said, (and for those who don't understand my humor as in the "well, so what?" line then you need to stop reading my blog). I am trying to learn how their system works for something I am working on. (so to "concerned parent" and jamie since you don't know me, yes you do owe me the benefit of the doubt, and that is not some gift from you). So if you want to help, then do it, if not then don't, but keep your comments to yourself. This kind of thing is ridiculous. The person didn't even leave a name, accusation and no accountability.

The worse thing is that this was done by a pagittblog reader.

Comments

[Jon]

Excellent, "concerned parent" offers us an opportunity to learn what happens when a review is deemed "not helpful".

[Joes]

just another emergent money making scam

[Jamie Arpin-Ricci]

LOL, so I guess you don't want me to post my review then? (wink)