Let’s talk about something every Amazon seller wishes for – product reviews and ratings. It’s like a secret that can play a pivotal role in Amazon SEO.
The better your product is rated, the higher it pops up in searches. We all know reviews are important, but getting customers to share their thoughts isn’t easy.
Are you stuck in the struggle of trying to get Amazon product reviews? Feeling like your customers are on mute when it comes to leaving feedback?
Lots of sellers face this challenge. That’s why we’re here to share what the experts do to get good reviews on Amazon. We have some great and completely legal ways to get those reviews fast.
So, if you want to improve your Amazon reviews, stay with us.
We’re about to reveal the secrets to getting more thumbs-up for your products on Amazon – the proper way!
Let’s get started!
Quick Guide
- Why are Amazon product reviews important?
- How to get better product reviews on Amazon
- How to get more Amazon product reviews on Amazon
- Get in touch with follow-up emails
- Use product inserts
- Leverage social media
- Amazon Early Reviewer Program
- Amazon Vine Program
- Ask the top reviewers
- Amazon product review ToS: What not to do
- Don’t ask friends/family for reviews
- Don’t use third-party fake review services
- Final thoughts
1. Why is Amazon product reviews important?
Other than just being a metric to boost the listing’s SEO ranking, positive Amazon product reviews directly influence the purchasing decisions of other buyers. According to a study by the Spiegel Research Centre, 95% of shoppers read reviews before making a purchase. The conversion rate also exponentially increases with the number of positive reviews for that product. How massive is this difference? A customer is 270% more likely to buy a product with 5 reviews than a product with zero reviews.
Clearly, Amazon product reviews play a massive role in the customer decision-making process. This is because product reviews are one of the best forms of social proof. From a psychological perspective, most consumers will look to the experiences of other customers to validate their decision. Nobody loves buyer’s remorse. The best way to prevent remorse is to ensure that others who have purchased the product are happy with it! A good review can often push on-the-fence buyers into a purchase.
This is even true in the case of regular brick & mortar stores. Many consumers today check for reviews online before purchasing a product from their local retail store. Word-of-mouth assurances often work better than any marketing strategy that a brand can employ.
This means that the quality of reviews is paramount. Getting a lot of reviews won’t necessarily translate to more sales unless those reviews are positive. This is why Amazon looks at the quality of reviews rather than just the volume. Quality reviews increase the relevance of your product and will help it rank higher in Amazon’s search results.
2. How to get better product reviews on Amazon
How can you leverage this powerful social proof to boost your sales? First, even before we get to the reviews, you have to ensure that your product is great. If you want a good review, you need to sell a good product! It’s that simple.
If your product isn’t great, or if you’re misinforming customers about its benefits, you’re more likely to be swamped by negative reviews. Before you finally decide on a product to sell, ask yourself these simple questions – Would I recommend this to my friends? Would my family love this product as a gift? Does the product solve the problem it is intended to solve? If the answer is no, then don’t expect 5-star reviews.
If you’re having trouble finding the product, you can always use SellerApp’s product research tool. Our product intelligence is always scanning Amazon to find the best products that are in demand!
It’s not just about the product though. You need to be careful while listing your product on Amazon. Customers do not take kindly to being misinformed, so make sure you provide all the necessary information about the product through bullet points and the product description. The same goes for product images. Include high-quality images that cover every angle of the product. There should be no room for confusion as to what the product looks like and what it does. If a consumer feels like they’ve been misinformed, expect a negative review. If there are issues that are consistently being highlighted by consumers, make sure you address the issue in the FAQ section. If there are still a few negative reviews pouring in, it is important not to be disheartened. It is a normal part of selling online. Not everybody is bound to like your product, and some customers may simply have skipped over some critical information. Whatever the case, it is important that you respond to these negative reviews and offer to remedy the problem. If you find yourself firefighting often, I suggest reading this article on how to respond to negative reviews.
3. How to get more product reviews on Amazon
You already know why product reviews are so important on Amazon, now let’s look at the ways to ensure you get that 5-star rating.
Get in touch with follow-up emails
Sounds straightforward? That’s because it is!
Keep in mind that many customers do not realize how important reviews are for sellers. It is incumbent on sellers to communicate why reviews are important. A happy customer is much more likely to leave a review if they understand how it contributes to the Amazon Marketplace, and helps sellers.
How do you get in touch with your customers? According to Amazon’s ‘Seller Code of Conduct,’ sellers can only contact customers through the Buyer-Seller Messaging Service. All communications through the service should be “be necessary for fulfilling the order or providing customer services,” according to the retail giant. Moreover, marketing and promotional communications are also prohibited. While that looks like a lot of restrictions, the messaging service still allows sellers to get in touch with legitimate consumers and ask for reviews.
The SellerApp team has found the ‘3-emails strategy’ to be the most effective when getting in touch with consumers.
- Start by sending an email to your buyer after the product is delivered. Be brief, polite, and inquire whether they are satisfied with the product. Be careful not to spam them with emails.
[In a drop-down box]
Email 1: Immediately after order placement.
Subject: Thank you for your *[product-name]* purchase!
Body: Hello *[buyer-first-name]*,
Thank you for purchasing *[product-name]*. This is the first of the three emails you will receive to ensure timely delivery. *[order-link: You can track your order here]*
Your satisfaction is our number one priority, and we strive to offer high-quality products and services. If you have any issues with the delivery of our product, please feel free to reach out to us or contact Amazon customer service. *[amazon-customer-service-link]*
Thank you for your purchase.
Sincerely,
Name and Designation
- Follow-up on your first email after a couple of days and ask them for feedback for the product.
[In a drop-down box]
Email 2: To be sent after 2-5 days once the order is delivered.
Subject: How is your *[product-name]* working for you?
Body: Hello *[buyer-first-name]*,
This is the second of the three emails you will receive from us.
We hope you have received *[product-name]* in perfect condition. Your satisfaction is our number one concern. If you have any issues with the product or have questions about its features, please feel free to respond to this email and let us know your concerns. You can also get in touch with Amazon customer service at *[amazon-customer-service-link]*
We strive to ensure complete customer satisfaction and would love to know what you think about *[product-name]*. It’ll only take you 2 minutes! You can post your honest review here: *[product-review-link]*
Your valuable feedback will help customers in the future as well as help us improve our product and service.
Sincerely,
Name and Designation
- If you receive a positive review and rating from the customer, follow up on the same email and ask them for seller feedback. Be brief, but let them know why seller feedback is important and how it can help other buyers in the future.
[In a drop-down box]
Email 3: To be sent 10 days after the product is delivered
Subject: Dedicated To Your Experience!
Body: Hello *[buyer-first-name]*,
We hope you’re having a blast and that you’re enjoying your new *[product-name]*. This will be our last email to you regarding this purchase.
We are always excited to hear from you. Your feedback is what helps us grow and take our service to the next level for future customers. So if you haven’t already left a review for your new *[product-name]*, you can post your feedback at *[product-review-link]*. It’ll only take you 2 minutes, and it’ll make our day!
If there are any issues with the product, you can get in touch with us directly by responding to this email. You can also contact Amazon customer service if you have any other concerns. *[amazon-customer-service-link]*
If you have already left us a review, please ignore this mail.
Thank you for your purchase and have a fantastic day!
Sincerely,
Name and designation
NOTE: Do not ask for a positive review and do not offer any incentives for a positive review. Amazon has a strict policy when it comes to asking your customers for feedback, and violating these policies could lead to your account being suspended.
You’ll notice that in the template emails outlined above, we have taken care to not ask for a positive review. Always ask for honest feedback, and ensure that customers know why reviews are important. Moreover, customers are more likely to be responsive if you send a personalized email. You must show a genuine appreciation for the purchase and be always polite when dealing with a customer. Treat others the way you want to be treated.
That being said, it can become difficult to get in touch with all your customers if you’re a large seller. You can automate this process with SellerApp’s handy Amazon review request tool.
Use product inserts
Personalized product inserts are a great way for sellers to get in touch with consumers and request reviews and feedback. Be careful when designing your inserts, because Amazon’s strict policy on asking customers for reviews applies here as well. Inserts are also a great way to highlight some key features and benefits of the product. You can also include links to your non-Amazon pages (like social media) in your inserts.
Just like when you’re emailing your customer, make sure you thank them for the purchase.
Product insert example
Hi *[buyer-first-name]*,
Thank you for your purchase!
Your satisfaction is our number one priority, and we strive to offer high-quality products and services. Do let us know what you think about the product by leaving a review on Amazon. Your honest feedback will help us serve our future customers better. Just log in to your Amazon account, navigate to ‘Your orders,’ and click ‘Write a product review’ to let us know what you think.
You can also visit *[social media links]* to stay in touch with our exciting offers and deals!
Are you unhappy with the product or our service? Please feel free to reach out to us, and we’ll do everything we can to help.
While the content of your insert is important, you need to also pay special attention to its design. Make sure the product insert stands out. If money isn’t an issue, I recommend outsourcing your design to professionals. This is a great way to increase your Amazon product reviews.
Leverage social media
Nearly everyone is on social media – around 50% of the world to be more precise. 54% of them use social media to search for products. That is 1.5 billion people!
Social media is a way for brands to expand their reach and promote their products to a captive audience. While advertising your promotions or discount deals on Amazon, make sure you add a line, requesting customers to leave honest feedback. These social media promotions are great for driving sales, and more sales generally also mean more reviews! Don’t forget, you cannot incentivize positive reviews, so always ask for honest feedback.
Several Facebook groups let sellers promote their products. A few years ago, these groups were a close-knit community that worked to support each other. However, many of these groups are saturated nowadays. That shouldn’t stop you from joining these groups though! Make it a point to promote your products in these groups. Results may not always be positive, but it is definitely worth trying. As always, never solicit positive feedback, keep your language neutral.
Amazon Early Reviewer Program
One of the ways to get reviews early on is to opt-in for the Amazon Early Reviewer program. Under the program, Amazon encourages customers who have purchased a product to share their authentic opinion about the item. The retail giant incentivizes customers by providing them with a small reward – usually an Amazon gift card worth $1-$3. This is honest feedback that cannot be influenced by the seller. Amazon selects reviewers at random.
The program is not free and will cost you $60 to sign up. To be eligible, your product must have less than five reviews, and you must be a brand registered with Amazon. Therefore, this is an ideal way to get reviews early on.
Amazon Vine Program
Amazon Vine is another great way for sellers to get reviews early on. You can enroll your product in the Vine program if it has less than 30 reviews. Unlike the Early Reviewer Program, there is no enrollment fee. However, you do have to send your products (for free) to Vine voice members for them to be reviewed. Vine voice members are individuals who have a history of providing insightful reviews on Amazon. They are hand-picked by the retail giant, so they will be critical of your product.
A word of caution. Since Vine reviewers are more critical, ensure that your product is top-notch. Otherwise, you can expect a few 1-3 star ratings and reviews.
If you want to learn more about the Amazon Vine Program, check out this video. Ankitha Nagaraj, Customer Success Head at SellerApp, breaks down everything you need to know to join the Vine Program to get more Amazon reviews in 2020!
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