The way it works is interested in terms of social network building. According to many to many, this is a kind of smart social game: you ‘win this game’ by publishing reviews that other people find useful. How does it work:

1. What is the Top Reviewers list? The Top Reviewers list is a collection of Amazon.com's leading customer review writers. Who decides who becomes a Top Reviewer? You do. Each time you read a review on the site, you're asked whether the information was helpful or not. Your vote is tabulated. And the customers who write the most helpful reviews are deemed Top Reviewers.

2. How are Top Reviewers selected? Each time a customer reads a review on the site, he/she gets to vote on whether or not he/she found the review helpful. The votes are tabulated. And the people whose reviews are voted most helpful most often are selected as Top Reviewers.

3. I've noticed badges next to reviewers' names. What do they represent? The icon you see alongside some reviewer's names is just an at-a-glance way to see how helpful a reviewer is. The lower the number on the icon, the more helpful votes the reviewer has received.

Here's how it breaks down:

If your badge has... Top 1000 Reviewer = You're one of the top 1000 reviewers at Amazon.com Top 500 Reviewer = You're one of the top 500 reviewers at Amazon.com Top 100 Reviewer = You're one of the top 100 reviewers at Amazon.com Top 50 Reviewer = You're one of the top 50 reviewers at Amazon.com Top 10 Reviewer = You're one of the top 10 reviewers at Amazon.com #1 Reviewer = You're the top reviewer at Amazon.com

*If a reader gives the reviewer a Not Helpful vote, it detracts from the totals above.

4. So how do I become a Top Reviewer? The answer's simple--just write lots of helpful, informative product reviews! Your peers will then decide your place on the Top Reviewer list.