Product rating is a numerical or points-based indicator that aggregates sales, conversion, reviews, returns and operational metrics that determine a card’s position in Kaspi.kz search results and recommendations. It’s not just the stars on the card — it’s a factor that affects traffic and the chance to get into "Top" and recommended blocks.
How rating is calculated: factors and mechanism (short and to the point)
The official Kaspi.kz algorithm is not fully disclosed, but from sellers’ practical observations and market analytics the key groups of factors are:
- Sales and sales velocity. Historical sales volume and recent dynamics: growth in sales over the last 7–30 days raises the card’s rating.
- Card conversion (CTR → conversion). From click to purchase: high CTR and conversion signal to the algorithm that the product is relevant to queries.
- Reviews and ratings. Average rating and number of reviews: having 100+ real reviews rated 4–5 significantly helps.
- Return and cancellation metrics. A high percentage of returns or order cancellations worsens positions.
- Stock availability and delivery speed. Items with guaranteed fast delivery (FBS/partner warehouse) get priority.
- Pricing and promotions. Competitive price and participation in promotions increase CTR and sales.
- Card quality. Filled characteristics, correct categories, relevant photos and a structured title affect relevance.
Analysts and sellers roughly estimate relative contributions by group as: sales and conversion 40–60%, reviews and returns 20–30%, price and logistics 10–25%, card quality 5–15%. These are guidelines, not official weights.
Why rating matters for a seller: specifics and KPIs
Rating directly affects three commercial metrics that form a seller’s profit:
- Card traffic. Dropping from a top-3 position to place 6–10 in a category typically reduces organic traffic by 40–70%.
- Conversion and average check. High rating increases trust: cards with rating 4.5+ and 50+ reviews have conversion 20–50% higher than comparable ones with rating below 4.0.
- Customer acquisition cost. The higher the rating, the cheaper the advertising: CPM and CPC in cards with a good rating usually drop by 15–30% all else equal.
Practical KPIs for guidance:
- Search CTR of the card: 3–6% for mass categories, 6–12% for narrow niches.
- Card conversion: 2–8% depending on category;
- Return/cancellation rate: aim for single-digit percentages where possible; rates above ~10–15% are a red flag in most categories.
- Average rating: target 4.3+ for steady growth; 4.5+ and 50–100+ reviews provides better competitive positioning.
Examples on Kaspi.kz: real seller situations
Below are typical scenarios observed by sellers and consultants on Kaspi.kz:
- New SKU with strong promotion. A seller launched a limited-time coupon and increased ad impressions, which drove a spike in orders over 10 days. The card’s conversion and sales velocity improved, raising its visibility and organic traffic after the promotion ended.
- Improved card content. A merchant updated titles, added full characteristics and better photos. CTR and conversion increased, which translated into a gradual rating uplift within 2–4 weeks.
- Logistics fix (FBS). Moving fast-moving SKUs to FBS/partner warehouse reduced cancellations and delivery time. Those cards gained priority in recommendations and saw a measurable traffic increase.
- Poor handling of returns. Another seller ignored quality complaints, leading to repeated 3-star and lower reviews and a higher return rate. The card dropped in search positions and required months of corrective measures to recover.
Practical steps to raise a product's rating
Actions you can take, ordered roughly by effort and impact:
- Optimize the card. Write a clear, structured title, fill all characteristics, select the correct category and upload high-quality photos (including lifestyle and detail shots).
- Improve conversion signals. Use compelling key phrases in the title, add bullet benefits in the description and highlight guarantees or warranties to increase CTR → conversion.
- Work on reviews. Encourage honest feedback after purchase, respond quickly and constructively to negative reviews and resolve issues to prevent returns.
- Stabilize logistics. Ensure stock availability, shorten processing time, consider FBS/partner warehouses to guarantee delivery speed.
- Targeted short-term promotions. Run time-limited promotions, coupons or bundles to increase sales velocity without long-term margin erosion.
- Monitor post-promotion retention. After a spike, keep a follow-up plan (cross-sell, email or push offers) to sustain sales so the algorithm keeps a stronger signal.
- Control returns and disputes. Audit return reasons, improve packaging and product descriptions to align expectations, and train support to reduce cancellations.
How to measure the effect and which metrics to track
Use both short-term and medium-term windows and compare with similar SKUs or category averages:
- Daily and 7–30 day sales (units and GMV).
- Impressions, clicks, CTR and conversions (view-to-cart, cart-to-buy).
- Number and average rating of reviews; fresh reviews volume.
- Return and cancellation rates and reasons.
- Stock status (FBS/in stock) and average delivery time.
- Advertising CPAs, CPM and CPC before/during/after interventions.
Recommended method: run a short controlled promotion on a subset of SKUs or in a narrow time window, track the delta in the metrics above, and use the results to scale the approach. Keep an eye on margins: a higher rating should lead to lower CAC and better lifetime value to justify the investment.
Typical mistakes and risks
- Placing the product in the wrong category or leaving key characteristics blank — this reduces relevance and CTR.
- Poor photos, frequent OOS (out of stock) or delayed shipments — these quickly damage position.
- Ignoring negative reviews and not resolving root causes — leads to systemic rating decline.
- Artificial reviews or aggressive price swings without logistic support — can attract returns, suspicious activity flags and reputational risk.
- Short-term price dumps without retention plan — the effect may disappear once the promotion ends.
Часто задаваемые вопросы
- What quick steps can I take in a week to raise a product’s rating on Kaspi.kz without significantly cutting margin?
- Focus on improving the card: a correct title, complete characteristics and high-quality photos raise CTR and conversion. Switch to FBS or speed up order processing to reduce cancellations and gain delivery priority. Run a targeted short-term promotion or coupon with limited stock to boost sales over 7–14 days — this signals the algorithm without long-term price cuts.
- Which metrics should I check regularly to understand a product rating’s dynamics?
- Track daily sales (7–30 day windows), the card’s CTR and view-to-purchase conversion — they directly affect relevance. Monitor average rating and number of reviews, return/cancellation percentage and stock status (FBS/in stock). Also watch average delivery time and participation in promotions.
- How many reviews and what rating are critical to noticeably improve a product’s position?
- In practice, reaching 100+ real reviews dominated by 4–5 stars gives a noticeable boost in trust and positions. One or two negative reviews won’t kill a card, but systematic 3-star and lower feedback with return reasons significantly drags ratings down. A steady influx of fresh honest reviews and prompt claim handling is more important than a single absolute number.
- How do promotions and temporary price cuts affect rating, and what are the pitfalls?
- Promotions and discounts increase CTR and sales, giving a positive short-term signal to the algorithm and can lift rating. Pitfalls: aggressive price cuts harm margin and may attract returns or suspicious orders; if sales fall after the promo, the effect will fade. Plan promotions with inventory control and a follow-up pricing strategy.
- What common seller mistakes most often lower a card’s rating on the marketplace?
- Placing a product in the wrong category or leaving characteristics incomplete reduces relevance and CTR. Poor photos, frequent OOS/delayed shipments, a high return rate and ignoring negative reviews quickly hurt position. Artificial reviews and abrupt price manipulations without logistic support also damage performance.
