Are you looking for information on how to get reviews on Amazon during the course of the year 2024? If yes, then you have come to the right place.
Planet Marketing, a digital marketing agency, specializes in Google Ads, Facebook Ads, and remarketing. With extensive experience working with businesses that sell their products on Amazon, we understand the importance of getting reviews on the platform.
Today, we’ll share that knowledge with you.
Why are Online Reviews Important?
Are you aware that over 90% of shoppers around the world now read online reviews before making a purchase? That’s an incredible statistic! Not so long ago, commerce was driven by word of mouth, with people buying goods based on recommendations from friends and family.
Today, word of mouth has taken a digital form. People rely on reviews left on platforms like Yelp, Amazon, and Google for recommendations on whether to buy a particular product from a particular seller.
However, there’s a major difference between online reviews and the word-of-mouth of the past. Today, 84% of people say they trust online reviews, even though these reviews are left by complete strangers. So, why do online reviews matter?
Building Trust with Online Reviews
Online reviews are crucial for helping brands establish trust. In the world of eCommerce, where customers often purchase goods sight unseen, trust becomes paramount. Reviews play a significant role in convincing potential buyers that your brand can deliver the products they need.
Providing Social Proof
Social proof is vital in business. People feel more comfortable buying products that others have already tried and approved. This reassurance, conveyed through positive reviews, helps build confidence in your brand. Most customers prefer following the experiences of their peers rather than being the first to try something new, especially when it involves spending money.
The Importance of Positive Reviews
Reviews can be either positive or negative, and it’s essential for brands to actively seek out feedback from satisfied customers. While unhappy customers are often more motivated to leave reviews, it’s crucial to balance these with positive ones. Research shows that up to 92% of people are more likely to buy a product with positive reviews.
Negative reviews are inevitable, but their impact can be mitigated. Proactively seeking positive reviews is essential, as an overabundance of negative reviews can harm your online profile.
For instance, a single-star drop on Yelp can result in a profit reduction of 5 to 9%. Therefore, encouraging happy customers to share their experiences is critical for maintaining a healthy online reputation.
Product vs Seller Reviews
Online reviews are a subject that I have covered a lot on this blog. I have an article on how to get Store Ratings in the year 2024. One thing of note is that online reviews can roughly be divided into Product reviews and Seller reviews.
What are Product Reviews?
Product reviews cover a specific product that you may be selling on Amazon or elsewhere. Perhaps it’s a line of t-shirt, or an LG LED TV. Clearly, product reviews are important because they tell your potential customers a lot about the performance of the specific product that they are interested in.
What are Seller Reviews?
Seller reviews, on the other hand, rate your overall performance as a business. They are not just for a single product. So, if you are AJ Electronics, people can tell based on Store Ratings whether or not your meet expectations.
Things that people consider regarding Seller reviews are dispatch times, support, return policies, pricing and many other factors.
As a business, you want to get great marks for both Seller and Product ratings. People what to know that your products are good. And they also want to know that you, as a business, are friendly and up to the task.
Why are product reviews on Amazon important?
So far we have just looked at online reviews in general. Clearly, they are of importance to any business that wishes to survive in today’s cutthroat environment.
At this point, I am going to look specifically at Amazon. Why is it important for sellers to get reviews on the platform? Well, the following are some of the reasons:
How to Get Reviews on Amazon
Reviews on Amazon and other platforms are crucial. Most sellers are already well aware of this fact.
This section highlights the most effective strategies for garnering reviews on Amazon. These tips will elevate your business, helping you succeed on the world’s largest online marketplace.
1. Sell only the best products
Why do people go to Amazon to buy this or that? Well, it’s because they have specific needs that they wish to fulfill. You, as a business, are there to fulfill those needs. But how do you do that? You do that using your products.
One thing that I have discovered is that businesses are always on the hunt for information on how to get reviews on Amazon. They get told all manner of tips and tricks.
The funny thing is that people often neglect the fundamental aspect of getting positive ratings on Amazon; product quality. Yes, the product is what you are selling on the platform. It’s what people come to buy. They don’t come to buy because they like you! They are there to fulfill the needs that we have just spoken about.
To get good reviews on Amazon, you need to sell products of the highest quality
So, you need to sell top of the range products on Amazon if you want to get positive reviews. If you sell archaic products that break down after a day or two, you will not be able to survive on the platform. You will be swamped with so many negative reviews that hardly anyone will be willing to buy from you at the end of the day.
Amazon is all about the product. It’s what binds you, the customer and the marketplace. Maybe you are the manufacturer. Make sure that you are putting only your best products on sale on the platform.
Or maybe you are merely a reseller. Make sure that you are sourcing your products from reputable manufacturers. Do that, and people will give you lots of positive reviews. You won’t even have to ask. Reviews will come flooding in organically!
2. Provide the best customer experience
You need to provide the best customer experience to get people to leave you reviews on Amazon
Customer experience matters a lot in the world of Commerce. I have written a number of articles on the issue, including on the tools that you can use to enhance customer service. Another good way of getting reviews on Amazon is by offering great customer service. But what’s great customer service?
3. Be Honest About Your Products
Many negative reviews on Amazon arise because sellers mislead people about their products. Before launching your products, you likely conducted extensive keyword research to understand what people are looking for.
Sometimes, sellers write product descriptions that make it appear as if their products meet these criteria, even when they don’t. For example, if you sell a headphones extension cable and discover that people are looking for one with volume controls, but your product lacks this feature, some sellers might pretend that their product meets this need. This approach often leads to negative reviews.
To get positive reviews, be clear about what your products can and cannot do. This honesty ensures customers don’t feel misled and helps minimize returns, which can be costly for both customers and your business. Honesty pays when selling on Amazon. Don’t try to confuse your customers, or they will leave negative feedback.
4. Use email to ask your customers for reviews after a sale
The good news is that Amazon comes with build-in tools to help sellers get reviews. When someone buys something on the platform, they automatically receive an email asking them to review the product. That’s great! It’s how most businesses get reviews on Amazon.
However, you can take it a step further by sending out personalized emails. The emails that are send out automatically from Amazon are rather generic. There are a number of tools that you can use for this task. One of them is Feedback Express.
But when is it the right time to ask for a review? Well, the best time is usually just after they have received the product.
At that point, they will still have the experience of buying from you fresh in their minds. So, they will be able to leave a positive review of your products.
5. Use the Amazon request a review button
In Seller Central’s Order Reports, you have the option to automatically send review requests to your buyers. You can select a time frame ranging from 4 to 30 days for sending these requests.
However, you can only send one review request per customer. Keep in mind that Amazon also automatically sends a review request after a purchase. This means a customer could receive up to two review requests: one from you and one from Amazon.
6. The early reviews product
You can also generate reviews on Amazon by joining the Early Reviewer Program. This program incentivizes customers with small gifts valued between $1 and $3 in exchange for their reviews. Sellers are charged $60 for each review received through this program.
Why is this beneficial? The Early Reviewer Program is designed to help new products gain visibility in the competitive Amazon marketplace. Consumers often hesitate to purchase items without reviews, so participating in this program can provide the initial feedback needed to attract attention. Over time, as your product establishes itself, it should start receiving reviews organically or through other methods we’ve discussed.
7. Send a card requesting for a review along with the product
Many sellers include a card with their product shipment requesting customers to leave a review. However, it’s crucial to adhere to Amazon’s terms and conditions when doing this.
Avoid asking specifically for positive reviews; simply encourage customers to provide their feedback. Additionally, offering financial incentives for reviews is prohibited and could result in a violation of Amazon’s policies.
8. Address customer concerns to turn negative reviews into a positive
Negative reviews are an inevitable part of selling, so it’s important to know how to handle them effectively. If you receive a negative review, your best course of action is to address the issue directly with the customer. Often, negative reviews stem from customers feeling their concerns haven’t been adequately addressed by the seller.
A negative review is essentially a call for attention. To resolve the situation, reach out to the customer to understand their concerns. Once you have a clear understanding of the problem, work to resolve it as promptly as possible. Many customers update their reviews positively once their issues are resolved, so resolving the problem could lead to a revised, more favorable review.
Amazon’s Reviews Guidelines
Here’s how to obtain reviews on Amazon, but it’s crucial to understand and adhere to Amazon’s rules to avoid any potential suspension from selling on their platform.
Here are some key guidelines to follow:
Do Not Manipulate Review Requests
It’s important not to use manipulative language when requesting reviews. For instance, phrases like, “Contact us if you’re not satisfied with our product. Otherwise, please leave us a 5-star rating!” are considered manipulative.
Amazon’s policy requires that reviews come from all customers, regardless of their satisfaction level, and not just from those who are happy with your product.
Avoid Offering Incentives for Reviews
Amazon strictly prohibits offering incentives in exchange for reviews. This means you cannot offer free products, discounts, or any other perks as a way to encourage customers to leave a review. Engaging in such practices could lead to suspension from Amazon.
Avoid Fake Reviews
While there are platforms where you can purchase fake reviews, such as BuyAmazonReviews.com and Fiverr, this practice is strongly discouraged. Amazon has been actively cracking down on the sale and use of fake reviews, and getting involved in this could result in your account being flagged or suspended.
However, this is not a practice that we encourage. Of late, Amazon has been clamping down on the practice of buying reviews. So, you don’t want to end up getting your account suspected over the practice.
Summary
In this article, we’ve explored effective strategies for garnering reviews on Amazon this year. Reviews play a crucial role in establishing social proof, which builds trust in your products and encourages potential customers to make a purchase.
On Amazon, reviews are incredibly valuable. They help reassure potential buyers, offering insight into whether a product lives up to its promises. Your feedback not only influences buying decisions but also provides a measure of credibility for your business.
What are your thoughts? Do you have any additional tips for securing reviews on Amazon? Share your insights in the comments below!
