Pro Tips on How to Get Reviews on Amazon

Introduction

Securing reviews on Amazon is a cornerstone of success for sellers on the platform. The number and quality of reviews, be they positive reviews, negative reviews, or anything in between, directly influence a product’s visibility, credibility, and overall appeal to potential buyers. In a world where online reviews wield immense power, having an abundance of honest reviews, including those elusive five-star reviews, can make or break a product’s journey on Amazon. However, obtaining reviews is more than just the quantity; it’s about quality and authenticity. It’s a nuanced process that necessitates strategic approaches. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll delve into effective and proven strategies to help you garner more reviews on Amazon and enhance your product’s reputation in the competitive marketplace. From leveraging automated tools to understanding Amazon’s guidelines, we’ll explore various pro tips that can elevate your review acquisition game. Whether you’re dealing with a product that has few reviews or looking to navigate the intricacies of the Amazon Vine Program, we’ve got you covered with insights on soliciting reviews, requesting reviews, and, most importantly, maintaining the integrity of your brand in the face of potential review manipulation. Join us on this journey to discover how to leave a review that matters in the world of e-commerce.

Why Are Product Reviews Important on Amazon?

Product reviews on Amazon play a crucial role in the e-commerce ecosystem. They act as essential forms of social proof, wielding the power to sway potential buyers and guide their purchasing decisions. Positive reviews, especially those coveted five-star ratings, are instrumental in enhancing a product’s credibility, fostering trust, and, perhaps most importantly, elevating its visibility within Amazon’s intricate search algorithm. This increased visibility can lead to more reviews and more sales, creating a positive feedback loop for sellers. However, it’s not all about the glow of positive reviews; the critical aspect of honest feedback shines through negative reviews. These less-than-glowing assessments provide sellers with invaluable insights, pinpointing areas for improvement and contributing to overall customer satisfaction. In a marketplace flooded with options, reviews are a beacon of honesty that guide buyers and a cornerstone that shapes the success and growth of brands. It’s essential for both sellers and buyers to actively participate in this dynamic world of Amazon reviews, promoting transparency and authenticity while helping one another in the quest for genuine product reviews. So, whether you’re encouraging your customers to write reviews or actively seeking ways to get reviews on Amazon, remember that the ecosystem thrives on honest reviews, both positive and negative, to benefit everyone involved.

What Are Amazon’s Guidelines Around Requesting Product Reviews?

Amazon has specific guidelines around requesting product reviews. According to Amazon’s policies, sellers are encouraged to seek reviews through Amazon’s “Request a Review” button available on the Order Details page in Seller Central where you can manually request reviews. This feature allows sellers to request reviews from customers who have made a purchase, promoting honest reviews and adhering to Amazon’s terms of use. However, it’s important to be aware that any attempt to manipulate reviews, including soliciting fake reviews or trying to influence the sentiment of reviews, is strictly prohibited and can result in penalties, including account suspension. It’s vital for sellers to navigate the fine line between seeking more reviews and avoiding review manipulation, as maintaining compliance with these guidelines is essential for a successful and trustworthy Amazon business.

In addition to the “Request a Review” feature, Amazon offers the Vine Review Program, where sellers can request reviews from a selected group of Amazon reviewers. Sellers can also use tools like Follow up from Helium 10 to send personalized review requests to customers. Follow up by Helium 10 also allows you to automate Amazon’s Request a Review Feature so that you never miss an opportunity to get an genuine review from a customer. By following Amazon’s guidelines and using legitimate methods to request reviews, sellers can create an environment that fosters both good and honest reviews while safeguarding their reputation on the platform.

How Does Amazon Handle Fake Reviews?

Amazon takes the issue of fake reviews very seriously, employing a multifaceted approach to address and mitigate them within its platform. Leveraging a combination of sophisticated automated systems and manual moderation, Amazon works rigorously to detect and subsequently remove fake reviews. The platform’s AI algorithms scrutinize review patterns, behaviors, and irregularities, effectively identifying potentially fraudulent activities. Moreover, Amazon encourages its community members to actively report suspicious reviews, fostering a collective effort in combatting fake feedback.

Upon the identification of a fake review, Amazon promptly takes action, swiftly removing it from the product listing. Sellers found to be involved in the generation of fake reviews face stringent consequences, which may include warnings, account suspensions, and in some cases, even legal actions. Amazon’s steadfast and strict approach underscores its commitment to maintaining a fair and trustworthy reviewing environment, one that ultimately benefits both sellers and buyers in the long run. By swiftly addressing fake reviews, Amazon aims to preserve the integrity of its review system, ensuring that honest reviews, be they positive or negative, guide and inform purchasing decisions.

Why Am I Not Getting Any Reviews on Amazon?

If you’re facing a challenge in acquiring reviews on Amazon, several contributing factors might be at play. Customers often require encouragement or a gentle prompt to leave genuine reviews. Not actively soliciting reviews through Amazon’s permitted channels could lead to a lower review rate. Furthermore, the quality, relevance, and overall customer experience associated with your products play a pivotal role in the acquisition of reviews. Providing a seamless post-purchase journey and consistently delivering products that meet or exceed customer expectations can incentivize buyers to share their experiences through positive reviews.

For newer or lesser-known brands, the struggle to gather reviews might be more pronounced, emphasizing the need for proactive review-seeking strategies and the gradual establishment of a trustworthy brand image over time. Understanding these dynamics is vital to bolster your review acquisition efforts and enhance your visibility on the competitive Amazon marketplace. By actively requesting reviews through approved methods, prioritizing exceptional customer experiences, and continuously working to build a reputable brand, you can steadily increase your review count and create an environment where customers feel more inclined to leave helpful and honest feedback.

How to Get More Amazon Reviews

Getting more product reviews as an Amazon seller is pretty straight forward as long as you are consistently making sales. Customers are sometimes need a little prompting to leave reviews and Amazon has tools not only to prompt customers to leave a review but also to get your reviews going as quickly as possible once you launch a product. So, your review strategy should always be to use the tools that Amazon provides to encourage customers to leave feedback without manipulating the review in any way.

Use Amazon’s ‘Request a Review’ Button

The easiest and quickest way to submit a review request on Amazon is through the Review button on your manage orders page. To get to your orders page, go to the main menu and click orders and then click on manage orders.

Once you are on the orders page, a request review button will show if your product is eligible for a review request. A product is eligible for a review request a certain number of days after the product ships to give the customer time to receive it. Once that time period has passed, you can utilize this button. If a customer returns a product before the button pops up, it will also not be eligible for a review request.

Automate Review Requests With Helium 10’s Follow Up

If you don’t want to spend the time going to Amazon Seller Central every day in order to request a review, you can automate it through Helium 10’s Follow Up Tool. It’s a very simple process. First, you need to login to your Helium10 account. Once you are logged in, click on “Follow Up” on the top menu.

Once you are in Follow up, click on “New Automation” on the upper right hand side of the screen. Then Click “Request a Review.”

If you want to add an automation filter, you can click add new filter as shown below and click on the filter that you want to add. If you don’t want to add a filter, you can skip this part.

Next, click “Save and Exit,” in the upper right hand corner and your reviews will automatically be requested every 12 days.

Enroll in Amazon’s Vine Program

Amazon has an early reviewer program or an incentivized reviews program called the Amazon Vine Program. The program allows a group of reviewers selected by Amazon to choose products that they want to review. The seller pays for the number of reviews up to 30 per ASIN that they want and they pay a fee according to the number of reviews requested. Once the reviewer requests to review a product, a free product is shipped out to them to try out so that they can give an honest review. If you want to know all of the details of the Vine Program, we have a detailed blog that explains the Vine Program In Detail. Click here to read more about the Amazon Vine Program.

How to Format Your Message to Inspire Positive Reviews

According to Amazon’s policy, you can not reach out to customers to try to influence them to make a positive review or a negative review on any products. They don’t want amazon sellers manipulating customers in any way when requesting a product review. Therefore, it is important if you are using a tool like Helium 10’s Follow Up where you customize product review emails to solicit reviews you must remain neutral in your language and wording in your email so that you do not get penalized by Amazon. This also applies to emails that you send to your own customer lists asking for a product review on Amazon. Amazon does not like review manipulation by asking for a five star review so remaining as neutral as possible is the best strategy for requesting a product review.

How to Request to Remove Negative Reviews on Amazon

If a customer has left a negative review on your product listing, it can not be removed for the most part. The only way it can be removed is if the author of the negative review has violated an Amazon review policy but even then, it is very difficult to get those types of reviews removed. Seller feedback is a little easier to get removed. To remove negative seller feedback do the following:

Go to the main menu and then go to “Performance” and then “Feedback Manager.”

Once you are in feedback manager, choose the order and rating that you would like to get removed. On the right hand side there is a drop down menu. Click on the drop down menu and click, “Request Removal.” A box will pop up that shows you the instances when Amazon will remove a seller feedback rating. If the feedback violates one of the reasons, click on yes and Amazon will review your request to remove the review.

What’s a Good Sales to Review Rate?

A good sales-to-review rate on Amazon typically ranges between 5% to 15%. This rate is calculated by dividing the total number of product reviews by the total number of units sold and then multiplying by 100 to get a percentage. For instance, if you’ve sold 100 units and received 10 reviews, your sales-to-review rate would be 10%.

However, the ideal rate can vary based on multiple factors including the product category, the nature of the product, and your specific target audience. Some categories might naturally have higher review rates due to customer habits or expectations. It’s essential to understand your market and competition to gauge what’s considered a good sales-to-review rate for your particular niche.

Maintaining a healthy sales-to-review rate ishelpful for your Amazon listing’s credibility and visibility. Higher review rates often signal to potential customers that your product is popular and trustworthy, leading to increased trust and higher chances of converting browsing customers into buyers. Balancing your sales and review acquisition strategies can help you achieve an optimal sales-to-review ratio that benefits your Amazon business in the long run.

Conclusion

Mastering the art of acquiring reviews on Amazon is a vital skill for any seller looking to thrive in this competitive online marketplace. Utilizing Amazon-approved methods like the ‘Request a Review’ button, automated review request tools such as Helium 10’s Follow-Up, and participating in Amazon’s Vine Program can significantly boost your review count. Moreover, personalizing communication and effectively managing negative seller feedback demonstrate your commitment to customer satisfaction. By applying these pro tips and staying compliant with Amazon’s guidelines, you’ll pave the way for increased reviews, bolster credibility, and ultimately, a flourishing Amazon business.

Happy selling!