Sometimes when a customer purchases a product on Amazon, they are encouraged automatically by Amazon to leave a review on the product. While it is good that Amazon has integrated an automated system that reminds customers to leave a review, it is still a good idea to do everything you can, within Amazon TOS, to encourage customers to leave reviews. Engaging clients is also what any amazon consultant would recommend.
The Power of An Amazon Review
Surely, you wouldn’t just click a buy now button without scrutinizing the product that you are purchasing. More often than not, the review page of a product plays an important role in the buying decision process of a customer. Sometimes, what they read on the reviews will determine whether they make the purchase or not. A high rate of bad reviews will typically lead a customer to look somewhere else. It’s essential to maintain a good rating.
How to properly earn more Amazon reviews?
There are two ways on how you can encourage your buyers to write a review of your products.
- Follow-up Emails – You can use a followup email such as FeedbackWhiz to send emails to customers after they purchase. Make sure to obey Amazon’s rules about what you can and can not say in these emails. Amazon has a lot of restrictions, however, asking a customer, once, to leave a product review is allowed.
- Amazon’s “Request A Review” Feature – Each time a customer orders, the order appears in the “manage orders” section of seller central. Once a few days have passed, a “request review” button will appear. You can click that button and Amazon will send out an email to the customer letting them know that the seller requested a product review. You can’t customize this message, however, it is a free feature. Many software tools have added chrome extensions or features to automate this process for you.
- Product Inserts – Before you send products into FBA, include cards with your products that ask the customer to leave a review. This allows every customer to be reminded to leave a review when they first get the product in their hands. Be careful as you have to use the correct wording in order to follow Amazon’s TOS.
- Early Reviewer Program – We typically recommend this for every new product. If your product qualifies, you can enroll it in the early reviewer program. With this program, you pay a $60 fee (you aren’t charged until you get the first review through the program) and Amazon will email customers with an offer for a $3 gift card in exchange for a review (Don’t try this yourself, if you were to make the same offer, you would be breaking TOS). They will keep emailing your customers this until you get 5 reviews through the program or until a year has passed. It’s a great way to earn reviews. Note that this program won’t do anything until you sell some of the products. If no one has bought the product yet, Amazon won’t have anyone to send the email to.
- Amazon Vine – Amazon Vine is our new favorite way to get reviews. It’s now typically available to all brand registered sellers. Amazon has a pool of vetted reviewers. With Amazon Vine, you offer a certain amount of your product for free (up to 30) to these special reviewers. These reviewers are then obligated to leave a review. If they request the product, Amazon will ship them a product for free and, after the appropriate amount of time, you’ll start seeing Vine reviews on your listing. We typically recommend offering a maximum of 30 units to Vine reviewers.
- Indirect – This goes without saying but make sure you always provide quality products and great customer service. Treat every customer like they are valuable. When you provide a lot of value, that will naturally lead to great reviews. Focus on providing great customer experiences every time!
In Conclusion
Amazon reviews help shape the first impression of potential new customers of your product. Sometimes, clients skip the product description and just go directly to the reviews section. Although sellers are limited on what they can do to earn reviews, there are plenty of tools available to establish a good track record if you are selling good quality products. Take advantage of them all and establish a great reputation on Amazon.