In the world of e-commerce today, Amazon has become a mainstay, with over 2.45 billion monthly unique visitors surfing the platform to buy or sell their products primarily. According to reports, 67.7% of online shoppers claim that positive product reviews have influenced their purchasing decisions. That is, depending on how highly or poorly you are rated, reviews can either increase or decrease the popularity and sales of your product.
As an Amazon seller, I understand how reviews are essential to your online store, especially in a popular marketplace like Amazon, with over 1.9 million active sellers. However, it takes a lot of work to get these reviews. In this guide, I will show you practical strategies to get high-quality reviews on Amazon and how you can effectively handle negative reviews. Let’s get right in!
What is an Amazon Review?
An Amazon review is a customer’s opinion of a product. To determine whether a product is suitable for purchase, it serves as authentic product feedback from other customers.
Statistics show that 89% of US consumers prefer Amazon over other e-commerce platforms and that 66% of online shoppers begin their searches on Amazon, where they can read reviews and ratings of products from other customers.
Reviews significantly impact conversion, keyword ranking, sales, eligibility for the Buy Box, and earning the Amazon’s Choice badge. It helps consumers decide whether to purchase a product from a listing or locate another seller with better reviews.
It’s straightforward; if a potential customer discovered my product listings and read all the positive reviews, I might immediately make a sale!
Amazon’s Policy On Reviews
Amazon encourages customers to leave reviews for products they buy on the marketplace, whether positive or negative, to help other customers learn more about the product and determine whether it is a good fit for them.
However, Amazon implemented a zero-tolerance policy to remove reviews that could mislead or manipulate customers due to many fake reviews—in 2016, it declared a ban on incentive-based reviews. The days of merely rewarding clients for submitting reviews are long gone!
Let’s consider reviews that can violate Amazon’s policies;
- A product manufacturer who reviews his product as an objective consumer.
- The exact buyer of the same product made numerous unfavorable comments.
- A review for monetary compensation.
- A negative comment on your competitors’ products
Violating these Amazon’s review guidelinescan result in a warning email and, afterward, an account suspension. Therefore, it’s essential to familiarize yourself with them to avoid consequences.
Pro Tips for Getting Amazon Reviews
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List Popular And High-Quality Products
The most crucial factor that has helped sellers earn more reviews is the popularity and quality of their products. Consumers are more likely to review products that are valuable and relevant to them.
Buyers will only want to purchase a product that will be of use. If your product is not up to standard, they may drop a negative review or deny your review request.
Selling a product that consumers naturally want to review is essential. You will quickly receive more honest and genuine reviews without having to ask.
Before you list your product, research it, read your competitors’ reviews, and look for common problems or complaints. Address these problems with your product, and you’ll get many positive reviews from customers who need the solution you offer.
New sellers should also add eye-grabbing and excellent photographs of their products to create a pleasant feeling for potential consumers, dramatically boosting your chances of success.
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Request Reviews From Your Customers
After you make a sale within 4 to 30 days, you can manually ask your consumers for reviews in your Seller Central account. Amazon enabled this feature so that you won’t infringe on their policies.
Only a few shoppers consider leaving online reviews, even if the product is helping them, so a quick review notification will do. Take advantage of this highly potent feature to enhance the visibility and credibility of your products and dramatically increase your chances of getting reviews from buyers.
To request a review for a specific order;
- Go to your Amazon seller central account, select “manage orders,” and then select the order you want buyers to review.
- Choose the order, check the details, and then click “Request Review,”
- Afterward, you will receive a request for seller feedback, and the buyer will receive a request for a product review which will be automatically translated into their language.
However, buyers need to enable their availability for review, and once your order is successful, you can request a review.
Also, you cannot customize the message or get a reply from the customer. Amazon does the work, and buyers may likely drop a review based on their experience using your product.
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Use The Amazon Messaging Section
The messaging section can also be used to submit review requests. Still, specific types of messages, such as repeated review request messages and any forms of marketing communications, are prohibited by Amazon on the marketplace. You should also note that the Amazon early reviewer program has recently been closed.
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Send A Personalized Email Requesting A Review
As an Amazon seller, I create an email list and draft a personalized email to request customer reviews. It is an effective way to improve the visibility and credibility of products.
Although, it is more challenging to create an email list since Amazon only provides a limited amount of customer information. It is understandable, given that Amazon doesn’t want buyers to shop from you outside the marketplace but don’t fret; it is not a dead end!
You can build an email list using platforms and adverts from social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Google. You can also use incentives like a free ebook or educational videos to entice potential customers to subscribe.
First, I’ll consider suitable locations to find new customers and gather their email addresses. This way, there’s no violation of Amazon review guidelines.
To send a personalized email, make it short and sweet; use a customer’s first name to make them feel welcome. Add a brief appreciation at the beginning of your email, and then you can request an honest review to let them know that you value their viewpoints.
For instance, if the consumer purchased a kitchen accessory, I may ask how it simplified cooking, what features they liked or didn’t, and how they used it.
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Use The Amazon Vine Program
Many reputable reviewers in the Amazon Vine Program help other customers by providing unbiased product feedback. Its enrollment fee is $200. Then Amazon vine reviewers will get your products for free, test them, and review them.
Based on reviewers’ ratings, Amazon specifically asks customers to become “Vine Voices,” and it is only available to Amazon FBA sellers with fewer than 30 reviews and brand-registered products.
To begin with Amazon Vine Program,
- Go to your Amazon seller central account,
- Enter the ASIN you want to enroll in Vine by clicking on it under the Advertising tab.
- Then, set up your enrollment and specify how many units—up to 30—you wish to make accessible for Vine Voice.
- After entering the ASIN(s), click the “Details” button on the enrollment information page to continue monitoring the status.
In addition, Amazon will not charge you an enrollment fee if you do not get a review within 90 days.
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Add Product Inserts
Product inserts are packages that come with product deliveries and request customers’ reviews. You should, however, adhere to Amazon rules when creating your product insert.
Don’t say too much; express your gratitude for their purchase and inform them of the benefits of their insightful reviews on your business.
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Offer Incentives That Follow Amazon’s Rules
Although offering customers rewards in exchange for reviews is not permitted by Amazon, you can still offer it in a way that complies with their rules.
For instance, you may offer product discounts or promo codes as giveaways. Customers will likely leave a positive review, increasing their interest and bringing more sales to your products.
Giveaways or discounts can be competitions where the winners are chosen randomly and given free products.
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Include A Direct Link To The Product Review Page
Provide a direct link to the product review page in your email to direct buyers to your product review page. Links make it easier for customers to submit a review.
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Use The Amazon Messaging Section
The messaging section can also be used to request and get reviews on Amazon. Still, specific types of messages, such as repeated review request messages and any forms of advertising communications, are prohibited by Amazon.
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Respond to reviews
You should always respond to your customer reviews, address any issues or flaws mentioned in the review with respect and resolve the customer’s issues.
Whether your consumers give you positive or negative feedback, you should always answer them. Provide a respectful response to any complaints or defects highlighted in the review and a solution to the customer’s problems.
Your response could turn a negative review around and show prospective customers that you genuinely care about them.
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Follow Up With Customers In Line With Amazon Policies
If I don’t receive a review after sending a review request or email, I’ll send a follow-up email to the customer to remind them. That’s easy!
However, following Amazon’s guidelines regarding the frequency and timing of your follow-up emails is essential.
Does A Black Hat Strategy For Getting Amazon Reviews Work?
Although many sellers have used black hat techniques to obtain Amazon reviews, such as contacting customers directly for positive feedback or hiring freelancers on Fiverr and Upwork to drop reviews, Amazon is constantly identifying these techniques and developing policies against them.
Follow the pro tips I shared in this post to obtain reviews without putting your account at risk of suspension.
How To Respond To Negative Amazon Reviews
Even if you have the best product and use the best Amazon techniques, you must accept that negative reviews are inevitable. How you handle them can impact your business’s reputation.
To respond to Unfavorable Reviews, personalize your message, recognize the client’s worries and solve the problem. If any review violates Amazon policies, you can report abuse, and Amazon will remove the review.
Conclusion
Undoubtedly, getting positive reviews on your products is a major determining factor in becoming successful and scaling up your e-commerce business.
The Amazon review guidelines may change occasionally, so stay updated and follow them. Additionally, respond positively to negative feedback. Customers will see your business better and, as a result, continue to shop from you.
Use your email list or the Amazon chat system to build a strong customer relationship. It’ll help you boost sales, increase the visibility of your products, and improve the overall quality of reviews you get for your products.
