In this article, we’re going to explore how Zoho Marketplace sorts search results, and how it may not be optimal for your needs.
Upon searching for an SMS extension, you can see that there are 82 different options! Even if we filter out non-CRM extensions, there are still 56. Here’s what’s odd: there’s no real rationale behind the sorting here. You might scroll down to the bottom and see extensions that are highly used and very popular. At the top, you could be looking at much less popular, rarely used extensions.
This is a really inefficient way of looking at things, and it’s keeping you from seeing quality options first. However, there are some things you can do about it.
For one, you can click “Only show 4 stars and above” in ratings at the bottom left corner. As of now, that brings us down to 24. But it’s still not ordered based on the review score.
We recommend hovering above them on this page. You might see that ones with lower ratings and fewer reviews are still at the top. You’re looking for something that has a lot of reviews and is still close to 5 stars.
How Does Zoho’s Algorithim Even Work?
We reached out to the Zoho team and asked them how their sorting algorithm for extensions works. Essentially, it’s based on how many times the keyword is used on the page.
For example if we look at SMS Magic’s listing, we see that they rank #1 for SMS and this seems to be due to them using the term 15 times in their overview! Zoho operates the same way America Online did back when you had to use dial-up, with very basic search engine algorithms.
This is why it’s good to do some filtering and reviewing when looking up extensions of any kind. One thing to really watch out for is finding a perfectly reviewed extension.
What To Look For In An Extension
Look at this one. It’s only got one review, which gave it a perfect score. Extensions like these are frequently reviewed by their creators or other people who would benefit from giving it a good score. It’s healthier to find something with a lot of reviews, and close to a perfect score. The truth is, it’s hard to please everyone, and a few angry one star reviews here and there is a sign that real people have downloaded it.
Take the reviews in this listing. There are some 1 star reviews there which shows that it’s legit. However, most of the reviews are positive and the developer responds immediately to any negative feedback.
Conclusion
Zoho offers quite a few extensions for a variety of purposes. Unfortunately, their algorithm can make it hard to find the best choice. No matter what you’re looking for, it’s good to filter your search as much as possible. From here, look for extensions with a lot of (mostly high) reviews and features that meet your needs. Good luck!