This would be pretty simple to solve if Amazon appended a couple new fields to each review logging the string of text in the main headline at the time the review was posted, and the sales category.
Using this field could then at least provide a control for us poor customers to filter only reviews for the current version/category of the product
And if they really wanted to do it right, they'd scan headlines/categories and reviews for substantial changes. Just a bit of good logic or AI pattern recognition should be able to sift this down to a manageable set of changes for human review and appropriate action, such as demanding a re-listing as a new product, weeding out repeat offenders, etc.
The article's point about Amazon failing to show a focus on "customer obsession" in this area is key - Amazon used to be a great place to search for products, and it is now a miserable, long slog to find anything good in the sea of crap with bogus listings & reviews.
Using this field could then at least provide a control for us poor customers to filter only reviews for the current version/category of the product
And if they really wanted to do it right, they'd scan headlines/categories and reviews for substantial changes. Just a bit of good logic or AI pattern recognition should be able to sift this down to a manageable set of changes for human review and appropriate action, such as demanding a re-listing as a new product, weeding out repeat offenders, etc.
The article's point about Amazon failing to show a focus on "customer obsession" in this area is key - Amazon used to be a great place to search for products, and it is now a miserable, long slog to find anything good in the sea of crap with bogus listings & reviews.