Why Google Review Timestamp Seems Incorrect
Sometimes, when using a job with a limit, you might notice Google reviews appearing out of the expected order or missing. This situation is not a bug on our end but rather a reflection of how Google uniquely handles and displays their reviews.
The Zembra API prioritizes the timestamp of when the review was originally posted. However, even when selecting the "Newest" filter from the UI, Google organizes reviews based on the last time the review author interacted with them.
When review authors revisit their reviews without necessarily making edits, Google elevates the review to the top of the list. This action can lead to confusion in some instances. For example, if your application depends on Google's order, your users might engage with what they believe is the most recent review, not realizing it's an older review they have likely encountered before. Moreover, if the review has previously received a reply, this bumping action does not affect the reply. Consequently, it might appear as if a newly posted review has a reply that was actually published much earlier.
We have access to both the original and displayed timestamps, but for consistency, we opt to use the original. The displayed timestamp is always available in the rawData field.
