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App Store Customer Reviews Now Require Purchase

Saturday September 27, 2008 11:51 am PDT by Eric Slivka
Apple is now requiring that users who wish to review an App Store application actually have downloaded the application. Clicking on the "Write a Review" link on an application's App Store page now generates a dialog box if the user does not own the application.


Users have complained in the past that the App Store reviews have been riddled with poor reviews and comments from users who have never used the applications, so limiting reviews to users who own the applications should provide more reliable and informative reviews.
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Pring
Posted: 48 months ago
Finally!

You can only review applications which you've actually bought! No more 1 star reviews by people who've not bought your app!
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m4rc
Posted: 48 months ago

Finally!

You can only review applications which you've actually bought! No more 1 star reviews by people who've not bought your app!




Its nice for the developer, but its even nicer for the buyers, I don't want to know what someone thinks of an app when they have never tried it, thats irrelevant, and usually its just a whinge about the price. If someone has paid for it and doesn't like it I want to know, that will help me make an informed choice. I don't need some spoilt kid who's run out of iTunes Store credit to tell me the app 'should be free' just because they can't afford it.
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yoman
Posted: 48 months ago
wow. It's about time.
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moopf
Posted: 48 months ago
This is a really welcome move. Shame they aren't purging old reviews made by people who didn't buy an app, however. That would be another step in the right direction.
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sammich
Posted: 48 months ago
Honestly, how hard is the code to implement something like this?
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Pring
Posted: 48 months ago
I'd also like to see the star rating normalized for how helpful a review is. eg if someone gave a 0 star review but has "0 out of 5 people find this review helpful" then it wouldn't contribute to the star rating.
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Cyroceon
Posted: 48 months ago
This is a surprising move from Apple. I've noticed over the past few years that Apple is much more responsive to their customer needs/wants, and they are faster in implementation. App Store is out only 2 months and a few days, and BOOM a great change like this one. Good job Apple, I commend you.
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hellomoto4
Posted: 48 months ago
Thank you very much Apple!

I hate when I'm considering a download and people that haven't even downloaded (let alone read the description) think it's bad!
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cube
Posted: 48 months ago
They should remove the old baseless reviews, too.
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spyker3292
Posted: 48 months ago

This is a surprising move from Apple. I've noticed over the past few years that Apple is much more responsive to their customer needs/wants, and they are faster in implementation. App Store is out only 2 months and a few days, and BOOM a great change like this one. Good job Apple, I commend you.


Haha, ya like when they gave $100 credit to all those agree early iPhone buyers (me included, just not angry :P).

Anyway, this is great!

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