aggregate-review-examples

The Problem

There are various services that provide aggregate ratings and reviews on the Web. How should this information be presented in microformat form? hReview is oriented towards individual reviews with ratings; can it also be used for presenting data from aggregate reviews?

Participants

• John Panzer
• Kavi Goel
• Jay Myers

Real-World Examples

Links to public web pages, either popular or insightful

Amazon

• http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001FA1NFA/
• Aggregation of user reviews for a product. Up to 10 reviews per page
• Includes 1-5 stars average rating and the total number of reviews
• Also includes number of reviews for each score (1-5)

Bizrate

• Aggregation of user reviews for a product. Up to 10 reviews per page
• Includes 1-5 stars average rating and the total number of reviews

Citysearch

• http://siliconvalley.citysearch.com/profile/11636582/mountain_view_ca/vive_sol.html
• Shows 1-5 stars average rating and the total number of reviews on the "business info" page
• On the "reviews" page, it also includes the number of reviews for each score (1-5) and some themes from the reviews (i.e. "Prompt seating", "Romantic", "Good for groups")

CNet Reviews

• http://reviews.cnet.com/car-gps-navigation/garmin-nuvi-880/4505-3430_7-32815498.html
• Shows both editors rating (1-5 stars as well as a word describing the rating, i.e. "Excellent") and the average user rating (1-5 stars) and total number of user reviews
• Only shows editor's review and 3 user reviews on first page for a product.
• Clicking through shows 5 reviews per page.

Download.com

• http://www.download.com/Ad-Aware-2008/3000-8022_4-10045910.html
• Shows both editors rating (1-5 stars) and the average user rating (1-5 stars) and total number of votes
• 5 user reviews shown per page

Rotten Tomatoes

• http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/quantum_of_solace/
• Shows percentage of positive reviews from users (in this case, users = movie critics) and number of reviews
• An average rating (between 1 and 10) is also shown, but this data is de-emphasized on the Rotten Tomatoes movies pages.

Yelp

• http://www.yelp.com/biz/vive-sol-restaurant-mountain-view
• Shows 1-5 stars average rating and the total number of reviews
• Also includes number of reviews for each score (1-5)
• The site highlights recurring themes from reviews (i.e. "The food is delicious - love the chicken mole.") and the number of reviews where such comments were made.

Ratings without reviews examples

This section added Nov 2009.

Some sites allow users to rate an object without providing a written review. These ratings can be numerical ratings (i.e. 1-5 stars) or votes (thumbs up/thumbs down). Aggregate ratings are calculated using all ratings or "votes" though the number of reviews available is smaller. The following are example sites that have separate numbers of user ratings vs full reviews.

Download.com

• http://www.download.com/Ad-Aware-2008/3000-8022_4-10045910.html
• Download.com explicitly specifies the number of user ratings as well as the number of reviews (though the review count is less prominent). Ratings are on a 5-point scale and Download.com uses the term "votes."

Gamespot

• http://www.gamespot.com/xbox360/rpg/masseffect/index.html
• Gamespot uses both "reviews" and "votes" in their aggregate reviews. In the Critic Score section, they show the number of reviews, whereas in the User Score section they show "votes." If you click through on the votes link, you can see the number of player reviews (which, as expected, is much lower than the number of player reviews).

IGN

• http://xbox360.ign.com/objects/718/718963.html
• IGN shows the number of user ratings but not the number of reviews. Ratings are on a 10-point scale, and they use the term "ratings."

IMDb

• http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0258000/
• IMDb explicilty writes the number of user ratings, provided on a 10-point scale. There are no reviews per se, but user comments on movie pages are often actually reviews. IMDb uses the term "votes."

Metromix

• http://chicago.metromix.com/restaurants/mexican/rustico-grill-logan-square/1361373/content
• Metromix writes the number of user ratings but not the number of user reviews (though user reviews exist on the page). Ratings are on a 5-point scale, and Metromix uses the term "ratings."

Urbanspoon

• http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/3/39999/restaurant/West-Village/Spotted-Pig-New-York
• Urbanspoon explicitly writes the number of user ratings as well as the number of reviews (though the review count is less prominent on the page). Urbanspoon uses a binary scale (like it/don't like it) and uses the term "votes."

Overall, "votes" seems to be the most common term used for the number of user ratings when provided without reviews. This is true even when the rating scale is not binary (i.e. 5-point scale or 10-point scale), though the term "ratings" is also used commonly.

Coded examples

(Note: examples may contain additional markup for positioning and presentation purposes to simulate live production markup)

aggregate reviews embedded in hproduct block

<div class="hproduct">
	<ol class="clearfloat" id="breadcrumbs">
		<li><a href="http://www.yoursite.com">Home</a></li>
		<li class="category"><a href="http://www.yoursite.com/computers/">Computers</a></li>
		<li class="category"><a href="http://www.yoursite.com/computers/networking/">Networking</a></li>
		<li class="category"><a href="http://www.yoursite.com/computers/networking/print-servers">Print Servers</a></li>
	</ol>
	<h1 class="n">NETGEAR 802.11g Wireless USB Print Server with 4-Port Switch</h1>
	<div id="topbox">
	<div class="rightcol">
		<img src="http://images.yoursite.com/images/products/7250/7250707_rb.jpg" alt="Image of NETGEAR WGPS606" class="photo" />
	</div>
	<div class="leftcol">
		<div class="infomain">
			<ul>
				<li>
					<strong>Brand: </strong><span class="brand">NETGEAR</span>
				</li>
				<li>
					<strong>Model: </strong><span class="model">WGPS606</span>
				</li>
				<li class="identifier">
					<span class="type">SKU: </span><span class="value">7250707</span>
				</li>
			</ul>
			<div class="haggregatereview">
				<div class="hreview">
					<span class="fn"><a href="http://images.yoursite.com/path/to/product" class="url"><img src="http://images.yoursite.com/images/misc/ratings_star_3_5.gif" alt="3.5 out of 5 stars"/></a></span><span class="rating">4.7</span> / <span class="best">5</span> (<span class="num">13</span> reviews)</div>
				</div>
			</div>
			<p class="description">
				Share a USB printer with others on your network; up to 54 Mbps; 2 USB ports; wireless Ethernet bridge mode with 4-port switch
			</p>
			<p>
				<span class="availability online">Available online</span>. <span class="shipping">Shipping: Usually leaves our warehouse in 1 business day. <span class="money">Estimated shipping cost: <abbr class="currency" title="USD" lang="en">$</abbr><span class="amount">6.99</span>.</span></span>
	
			</p>
			<p>
				<span class="availability instore">Available in our stores</span>. Store Pickup: Available at most stores
			</p>
			<p>
				<span class="availability specialorder">Not available for special order</span>.
			</p>
		</div>
		<div class="infoside">
			<span class="price regular"><span class="money"><strong>Price: </strong><abbr class="currency" title="USD" lang="en">$</abbr><span class="amount">99.99</span></span></span>
			<div>
				<a href="http://images.yoursite.com/path/to/buy/product" class="buy"><img src="http://images.yoursite.com/images/btn_add_to_cart.gif" alt="buy this product" /></a>
			</div>
		</div>
	</div>
</div>

hlisting, hproduct, haggregatereview/hreview, xoxo

<div class="hlisting">
	<div class="hproduct">
		<ol>
			<li class="lister"><a href="http://storename.com">Store name</a></li>
			<li class="category"><a href="http://storename.com/tv-and-video">TV & Video</a></li>
			<li class="category"><a href="http://storename.com/televisions">Televisions</a></li>
			<li>Product Info</li>
		</ol>
		<img src="http://images.storename.com/products/samsung-ln40a550.jpg" class="photo" alt="picture of samsung ln40a550" />
		<div class="fn"><span class="brand">Samsung</span> - 40" 1080p Flat-Panel LCD HDTV</div>
		<dl class="identifier">
			<dt>Model</dt>
			<dd>LN40A550</dd>
			<dt>SKU</dt>
			<dd>8749465</dd>
		</dl>
		<div class="haggregatereview">
			<div class="hreview">
				<span class="fn"><a href="http://storename.com/path/to/product" class="url"><img src="http://images.storename.com/images/misc/ratings_star_3_5.gif" alt="3.5 out of 5 stars"/></a></span><span class="rating">4.7</span> / <span class="best">5</span> (<span class="num">13</span> reviews)</div>
			</div>
		</div>
		<div class="price">$1,099.99</div>
		<ol class="xoxo">
			<li><h2>Specifications</h2>
				<dl>
					<dt>Warranty Terms - Parts</dt>
					<dd>1 year</dd>
					<dt>Warranty Terms - Labor</dt>
					<dd>1 year</dd>
					<dt>Product Height</dt>
					<dd>27" with stand (24-7/10" without)</dd>
					<dt>Product Width</dt>
					<dd>39-1/5"</dd>
					<dt>Product Weight</dt>
					<dd>61.5 lbs. with stand (54.5 lbs. without)</dd>
					<dt>Product Depth</dt>
					<dd>11-4/5" with stand (3-3/5" without)</dd>
					<dt>TV Type</dt>
					<dd>LCD Flat-Panel</dd>
				</dl>
			</li>
	</div>
</div>

hlisting, hproduct, haudio, haggregatereview/hreview

<div class="hlisting">
	<div class="hproduct haudio">
		<ol>
			<li class="lister"><a href="http://storename.com">Store name</a></li>
			<li class="category"><a href="http://storename.com/gangsta">Gangsta/Hardcore</a></li>
			<li>Product Info</li>
		</ol>
		<img src="http://images.storename.com/products/50cent-curtis.jpg" class="photo" alt="picture of 50 cent" />
		<div class="album">Curtis</div>
		<div class="contributor"><span class="vcard"><span class=n nickname">50 Cent</span></span></div>
		<p>Release date:<abbr class="published" title="2007-09-11">September 11, 2007</abbr></p>
		<div class="haggregatereview">
		<div class="hreview">
			<span class="fn"><a href="http://storename.com/path/to/product" class="url"><img src="http://images.storename.com/images/misc/ratings_star_4_0.gif" alt="4 out of 5 stars"/></a></span><span class="rating">4.0</span> / <span class="best">5</span> Number of reviews:(<span class="num">4</span> reviews)</div>
		</div>
		<div class="price">$9.99</div>
		<a href="add-to-cart-url" rel="payment"><img src="http://storename.com/images/global/add-to-cart.gif" alt="add to cart" /></a>
		<h2>Tracks</h2>
		<ol>
			<li class="item"><span class="position">1</span>.<span class="fn">Intro</span><a href="http://images.storename.com/media/sample/50cent-intro.mp3" rel="sample">Listen</a></li>
			<li class="item"><span class="position">2</span>.<span class="fn">My Gun Go Off</span><a href="http://images.storename.com/media/sample/50cent-gun-go-off.mp3" rel="sample">Listen</a></li>
			<li class="item"><span class="position">3</span>.<span class="fn">Man Down - (censored)</span><a href="http://images.storename.com/media/sample/50cent-man-down.mp3" rel="sample">Listen</a></li>
			<li class="item"><span class="position">4</span>.<span class="fn">I'll Still Kill - (with Akon)</span><a href="http://images.storename.com/media/sample/50cent-ill-still-kill.mp3" rel="sample">Listen</a></li>
			<li class="item"><span class="position">5</span>.<span class="fn">I Get Money</span><a href="http://images.storename.com/media/sample/50cent-i-get-money.mp3" rel="sample">Listen</a></li>
			<li class="item"><span class="position">6</span>.<span class="fn">Come & Go - (with Dr. Dre)</span><a href="http://images.storename.com/media/sample/50cent-come-go.mp3" rel="sample">Listen</a></li>
			<li class="item"><span class="position">7</span>.<span class="fn">Ayo Technology - (with Timbaland/Justin Timberlake)</span><a href="http://images.storename.com/media/sample/50cent-ayo-technology.mp3" rel="sample">Listen</a></li>
			<li class="item"><span class="position">8</span>.<span class="fn">Follow My Lead - (with Robin Thicke)</span><a href="http://images.storename.com/media/sample/50cent-follow-my-lead.mp3" rel="sample">Listen</a></li>
			<li class="item"><span class="position">9</span>.<span class="fn">Movin' on Up</span><a href="http://images.storename.com/media/sample/50cent-movin-on-up.mp3" rel="sample">Listen</a></li>
			<li class="item"><span class="position">10</span>.<span class="fn">Straight to the Bank</span><a href="http://images.storename.com/media/sample/50cent-straight-to-bank.mp3" rel="sample">Listen</a></li>
			<li class="item"><span class="position">11</span>.<span class="fn">Amusement Park</span><a href="http://images.storename.com/media/sample/50cent-amusement-park.mp3" rel="sample">Listen</a></li>
			<li class="item"><span class="position">12</span>.<span class="fn">Fully Loaded Clip</span><a href="http://images.storename.com/media/sample/50cent-fully-loaded-clip.mp3" rel="sample">Listen</a></li>
			<li class="item"><span class="position">13</span>.<span class="fn">Peep Show - (with Eminem)</span><a href="http://images.storename.com/media/sample/50cent-peep-show.mp3" rel="sample">Listen</a></li>
			<li class="item"><span class="position">14</span>.<span class="fn">Fire - (with Young Buck/Nicole Scherzinger)</span><a href="http://images.storename.com/media/sample/50cent-fire.mp3" rel="sample">Listen</a></li>
			<li class="item"><span class="position">15</span>.<span class="fn">All of Me - (with Mary J. Blige)</span><a href="http://images.storename.com/media/sample/50cent-all-of-me.mp3" rel="sample">Listen</a></li>
			<li class="item"><span class="position">16</span>.<span class="fn">Curtis 187</span><a href="http://images.storename.com/media/sample/50cent-curtis-187.mp3" rel="sample">Listen</a></li>
			<li class="item"><span class="position">17</span>.<span class="fn">Touch the Sky - (with Tony Yayo)</span><a href="http://images.storename.com/media/sample/50cent-touch-the-sky.mp3" rel="sample">Listen</a></li>
		</ol>
	</div>
</div>

Existing Practices

• Summary of common patterns discovered
• Other attempts to solve The Problem

Proposal

• Early drafts
• Link to related pages as they become available
• I think that this page from email discussion actually is a non-example: http://webcenter.polls.aol.com/poll?view=69043&pollId=69096 ; it's actually aggregate rankings with numerical weightings, which might lead to an interesting hRanking microformat but I think is out of bounds for an 'aggregate review' discussion.
  • -brainstorming
  • - proposal
  • -microformat

See Also

• Aggregation of microformats: examples - formats - brainstorming
• Aggregate review: formats - brainstorming
• hreview-aggregate
• review-examples for examples of individual reviews
• hReview
• Normative references for tags used