Key takeaways:

1. Amazon takes reviews seriously. Negative reviews, when legitimate, stay on the platform as part of Amazon's commitment to honest feedback.
2. You can request removal of reviews that violate Amazon's review policies, but you cannot remove legitimate negative feedback simply because it's unfavorable.
3. The most sustainable approach to managing reviews is providing excellent products and customer service while having a consistent strategy for requesting reviews from satisfied buyers.

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Negative reviews on Amazon can be damaging. A one-star review on a product listing can reduce conversion rates, hurt your BSR (Best Sellers Rank), and erode the trust you've worked to build with potential customers. 

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It's understandable that sellers want to do something about unfavorable reviews. But the reality of how Amazon handles reviews is more nuanced than many sellers realize. In this guide, we break down what you can and can't do, and what actually works. 

Can you remove a negative Amazon review?

Generally, no — not if the review is legitimate. Amazon's policies are designed to protect the integrity of its review system. If a customer genuinely had a bad experience and wrote an honest review, Amazon will not remove it simply because the seller requests it. 

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However, there are specific circumstances where Amazon will remove a review: 

• The review violates Amazon's community guidelines (e.g., contains profanity, personal attacks, or irrelevant content)
• The review is fake or was incentivized in violation of Amazon's policies
• The review is about a shipping issue (for FBA orders, Amazon will typically remove these because fulfillment is Amazon's responsibility)
• The review contains personal information about other individuals
• The review is a product review left in the seller feedback section, or vice versa

How to report a review that violates Amazon's policies

If a review meets one of the criteria above, here's how to report it: 

1. Go to the product listing where the review appears
2. Locate the review you want to report
3. Click "Report abuse" below the review
4. Select the reason for reporting and submit

Amazon will then review the report. There's no guaranteed timeline, and the outcome isn't always in the seller's favor — Amazon makes the final decision. 

Can you respond to reviews as a seller?

Yes — and this is often more useful than trying to get a review removed. 

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Amazon allows brand-registered sellers to publicly respond to customer reviews. A well-written response to a negative review can: 

• Show potential customers that you take feedback seriously
• Provide context if the review contains inaccuracies
• Demonstrate that you're responsive and committed to customer satisfaction

Keep responses professional, brief, and never defensive. Avoid repeating the negative content of the review or making excuses. 

What about seller feedback vs. product reviews?

Amazon distinguishes between seller feedback (reviews of the seller's service — shipping speed, communication, etc.) and product reviews (reviews of the product itself). 

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If a customer leaves a review in the wrong section — for example, a product complaint in the seller feedback section — Amazon may remove it or allow you to request its removal. You can do this through Seller Central by navigating to Performance > Feedback Manager. 

Strategies for managing your overall review profile

Rather than focusing on removing negative reviews, the more effective long-term approach is to actively build a healthy review profile. 

Use Amazon's Request a Review feature

Amazon's native Request a Review button in Seller Central lets you send a standardized review request to buyers within the eligible window (5 to 30 days after delivery). This is fully compliant with Amazon's policies. 

Enroll in Amazon Vine

For new product launches with few reviews, Amazon Vine allows you to invite trusted reviewers to receive your product in exchange for an honest review. This is a legitimate way to build initial review velocity on new ASINs. 

Address the root causes of negative reviews

If you're consistently getting negative reviews about the same issue — a sizing problem, a misleading product image, a quality defect — the most impactful thing you can do is fix the underlying problem. Improving the product or updating the listing to set accurate expectations reduces future complaints. 

Respond to negative reviews professionally

As mentioned above, responding to negative reviews can mitigate their impact. It signals to other buyers that you are engaged and willing to make things right. 

What sellers should avoid

There are a number of tactics that sellers sometimes use to manage reviews that are against Amazon's terms of service and carry serious risks: 

• Offering refunds, discounts, or other incentives in exchange for review changes or removals
• Asking friends, family, or colleagues to leave positive reviews
• Using review manipulation services or review groups
• Leaving negative reviews on competitor listings

Amazon actively monitors for these practices. Getting caught can result in listing suspension, account deactivation, or legal action in serious cases. 

Final thoughts

Amazon's review system is designed to be trusted by buyers, which means sellers have limited ability to remove legitimate negative feedback. The most reliable approach is to focus on the things within your control: product quality, listing accuracy, and customer experience. 

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If you're dealing with a pattern of negative reviews and aren't sure where to start, the team at ePlaybooks works with sellers to identify root causes and build sustainable review management strategies. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) 

Can I remove a review on Amazon?

As an Amazon seller, you can’t remove a review on Amazon yourself, but you can report it if it violates Amazon’s guidelines.  If a review contains inappropriate content (e.g., offensive language, personal information, or spam), you can report it. 

If a review is incorrect (e.g., if a review is about shipping instead of the product), you can contact Amazon Seller Support and explain why it should be removed.

How can I remove feedback I left on Amazon?

You can remove or edit feedback you left on Amazon. Here's how: 

• Go to your Amazon account: Log in to Amazon. Click on “Accounts & Lists” > “Your Orders”.
• Find the order: Locate the order for which you left feedback.
• Go to the feedback section: Click on “View Seller Feedback” (if it’s seller feedback) or “Edit Your Review” (if it’s a product review).
• Choose to edit or delete: Click “Remove” to delete it completely. Click “Edit” to update the feedback instead.
• Seller feedback can be removed within 90 days of posting. Product Reviews can be edited or deleted at any time.

Why does Amazon delete negative reviews?

Amazon removes negative reviews if they violate its Community Guidelines or Fake Review Policies.

Amazon may remove reviews that contain:

• Offensive content (hate speech, threats, or profanity).
• Personal information (names, emails, phone numbers).
• Irrelevant comments (not related to the product).
• Promotional content (advertising or self-promotion).

Also, Amazon has strict policies against fake reviews. A review may be removed if:

• It’s from a seller, competitor, or paid reviewer.
• The reviewer received a free or discounted product in exchange for a review (unless through Amazon Vine).

How do I hide my Amazon reviews?

To hide your Amazon reviews:

• Go to your Amazon profile. Log in to Amazon and click “Accounts & Lists” > “Your Account” > “Profile”.
• Next, click “Edit your profile” on the right side and set your profile to private. 
• Scroll down to the “Hide all activity on your profile” option.
• Check the box to hide your reviews, wish lists, and other activities.
• Lastly, save changes.