OVERVIEW
Amazon customers make their buying decisions in a few different ways. First, as they are scrolling through products, they will look for review ratings. Before they even click into your listing, they are looking for credibility. So then, the mighty question is: How do I get more reviews on Amazon? We’re going to guide you through everything you need to know about Amazon reviews. Including what NOT to do.
In this article, we’ll cover:
- Do’s and Don’ts of getting Amazon reviews
- How to get reviews quickly on Amazon
- Long term practices to get Amazon Reviews
GET MORE AMAZON REVIEWS: THE RIGHT WAY
Later we’ll get more into some of the terms of service regarding Amazon reviews and what not to do, but first we want to arm you with powerful strategies to get Amazon reviews rolling in. We’ll give you both long term strategies and short term strategies that will generate quick wins.
HOW TO GET REVIEWS QUICKLY ON AMAZON
Amazon Vine: Amazon has strict rules about not paying for reviews through third parties, which we’ll dive into later. For now, we want to share the Amazon’s program that allows you to pay for reviews. Amazon Vine is a program that helps you get your product out to a group of people that have a history of leaving honest reviews.
As a buyer, you have to be invited to participate in Amazon Vine. But as a seller, you can enroll any FBA product that has less than 30 reviews; as long as you meet the eligibility requirements. There are some pros and cons to this program.
Pros:
- Get up to 30 reviews on products
- Gain traction on slow moving products
- It is very easy to get started
Cons:
- $200 enrollment fee per parent ASIN
- You still have to pay the FBA/Amazon Fees
- You’re giving away free product
Overall, Vine is a great program that can increase reviews. Which in turn, helps increase your ranking in search results and increases credibility. Therefore, will also increase your sales by up to 30%. With the extra sales coming in, you can then ask for more reviews. It’s like a snowball effect and Vine kickstarts it all into gear. Follow these step by step instructions to enroll in Vine, but here are some visuals to help you navigate to Amazon Vine.
In the Seller Central Menu, Navigate to Advertising, then Vine.
Here, you will see all the products you have enrolled in Vine and how many reviews you have received for that product. To enroll a new product in Amazon Vine, enter the ASIN and click Begin Enrollment.
Lastly, agree to the terms and conditions (which includes the $200/ASIN fee) and you’re set. The Vine Voices will start to claim your products and you’ll see the reviews come in soon!
Request Reviews through Amazon Seller Central
Amazon has a feature that allows you to request a review on each product.
To access this:
- Go to the menu in Seller Central.
- Click on Orders.
- Click on manage orders.
- Click on Shipped
- The date range should be in the last 30 days.
- Click on the order number link under “Order Details”
- Click on Request a Review
This message will pop up:
Essentially, this is just saying that you agree to not continue to harass your customers for reviews after you send this notification.
After you click yes, this confirmation will pop up.
It’s simple to do, you just have to remember to do it. Keep in mind that you can only request a review within 5-30 days after the order ships. If you miss this window, you can no longer use this feature.
LONG TERM PRACTICES TO GET REVIEWS ON AMAZON
It’s important to note that gaining traction on Amazon is a marathon, not a sprint. These next strategies seem so simple that most people don’t even consider them as strategies. It’s all about consistency, great customer service and quality products.
Set up automations in Helium10 to get more reviews
Helium10 is an amazing tool for Amazon sellers. In it, you can optimize your listings, research competitors and automate your processes. Let’s walk through how to set up automations to request reviews.
In your Helium10 dashboard:
- Click on Follow up
- Follow the set up instructions
- Click Turn on Request a Review
That’s it. Now you never have to manually request a review! Set this up once, and watch your reviews build with time.
Packaging and product insert
A great way to build long term brand awareness, consistently ask for reviews and thank your customers, is to include a thank you note with every package. These are often called product or package inserts. There are no rules on size or formatting for these, because they aren’t even required. Not every Amazon seller includes product inserts, so it can elevate the customer experience when they receive your package. Plus, this is an opportunity to ask for reviews when they receive the product. Just remember to follow Amazon’s rules (More on the rules below).
Before you design your thank you cards, you should research what sizing and format you want to buy. Vistaprint.com or UPrinting.com are great places to order these. When I was researching this, I found 4×6 postcards on both websites for $0.04 each.
After you decide your specs, you can design. Double check the specs that your printer requires. Vistaprint requires a 0.12 margin for print to bleed. So our design file will actually be 4.12 x 6.12.
Canva makes this so seamless and easy. We created this product insert for Park Perfection in about 5 minutes. It’s branded, it follows Amazon’s review policies, and it includes the website so customers can continue to connect with the brand.
Get Great Reviews by Providing Accurate Product Descriptions and Quality Products
Have you ever bought a product online and it’s not what you expected? The color is wrong, the design is different from the pictures or the quality just sucks? Take the time to quality control your products and put time into your listings – especially the photos. Amazon customers are visual. Most will make their buying decisions based on the pictures on your listing. If you communicate well there, you’re less likely to get returns and bad reviews.
Do a quick audit of your listings from a customer perspective. Is there anything you can improve to make it more clear for them? Can your pictures contain more infographics that help communicate features and benefits of your product? Work with a designer to help you with this. You’ll get better reviews if you effectively communicate your product, and offer quality products at an appropriate price. Remember, it’s not just about getting reviews, but GOOD reviews.
GET MORE AMAZON REVIEWS – DO’S AND DON’TS
Amazon has a lot of rules for sellers; and it’s your responsibility as a seller to be on top of these. The last thing you want is to put so much work into getting reviews, just to have your entire store shut down because you violated terms of service – without even realizing it. Amazon does NOT mess around with this. They’ll even sue you. So, I’m begging you, PLEASE do this right. We will do a deep dive into some of the terms of service. But be sure to read the entire Amazon Reviews Policy.
I know this can seem scary and overwhelming. But keep in mind that all of these policies are in place to keep people honest and ethical in their business practices. Amazon is not out to get you. Just practice good business ethics and follow the guidelines; you’ll be just fine.
AMAZON REVIEWS: WHAT NOT TO DO
Don’t ask your family, friends or employees to leave reviews
I know this is tempting. You’ve just listed a new product and your circle of people are so excited to support you. But Amazon sees this as biased reviews. Amazon isn’t putting this in place to hold you back, but to maintain the buying experience for customers. Amazon’s goal is to offer the best products available to customers. They want buyers to get a true understanding of a product in order to make an informed decision. When we enlist those we know to leave reviews, it creates a biased pull on your product. Remember, Amazon wants to keep everything as honest as possible, that’s why this rule is in place.
Don’t offer compensation associated with reviews
Offering incentives like, “Leave a review and get 20% off your next order” is prohibited. Along with telling people, “If you buy on Amazon, I’ll refund you through Venmo. Just leave a good review.” This includes buying reviews. You cannot use third party programs that sell reviews, offer incentives or any type of compensation for reviews. If you want to take an approach like this, do it honestly and enroll in Amazon Vine.
The goal of your Amazon store should be to gain a real customer base that comes back again and again, right? If your product is as good as you praise it to be, you won’t need to bribe people to leave a review.
Don’t persuade good reviews only
This one is tricky. Catchy phrases like, “We love what we do and hope you do too! Please come back and leave a review” are fun and light. But, if you break it down, you’re essentially telling people to only leave a review if they love your product. You cannot ask people to “leave a 5 star review”, or even “leave a good review”. This is persuading their opinion.
A word of caution: Some sellers ask their customers to leave a review if they love the product, but if they have concerns or troubles to contact customer service. While we feel like we’re simply offering great customer service, this is diverting honest reviews.
The only ethical way to ask for reviews, is to simply ask for HONEST reviews. Here’s a few examples you can use to ask for reviews and stay in compliance:
- Your feedback is valuable to us. Please come back and leave an honest review.
- How did we do? Leaving an honest review helps other people find the right product, and it helps us know how we’re doing.
- Thanks for your order! We appreciate you choosing our product and we’d love to hear what you think. Please leave us an honest review on Amazon.
You can draft up your own variations of this. If you use the phrase, “honest review” you’ll be good.
The important part of this is being confident in your product. And understand that if you get lower reviews, it is an opportunity to improve. Don’t take it personally, shift your perspective and learn from every review.
Don’t try to make your competition look bad
Intentionally leaving bad reviews on competitor products is SHADY and unethical. And to be bold, if you were confident in your product, you wouldn’t feel the need to do this. Trying to “take down the competitors” this way is a big no no. Go by the golden rule: Treat others the way you want to be treated.
There is room for everyone in the marketplace. You can do other things to set your product and brand apart by calling attention to different elements that are unique. For example, maybe your product has a really awesome buckle, but the competitor product has velcro straps. You don’t need to throw other sellers under the bus, just position your unique selling point. You can also elevate your branding through graphics and packaging. This will amplify the value and quality in your branding without having to be cut throat. Take the high road, my friend, and stay in your own lane.
Getting More Amazon Reviews – Takeaways
In conclusion, getting reviews on Amazon is a long term strategy, but there are ways to generate some quick wins. Here are some quick takeaways to help you get more Amazon Reviews:
- Follow Amazon’s Terms of Service
- Enroll in Amazon Vine
- Automate Asking For Reviews
- Include a thank you card that requests reviews
- Provide Accurate Product Descriptions
When you have optimized listings with strong graphics, you’ll naturally crawl your way up the rankings as more and more people buy and review your products. If you need any assistance with your Amazon Store, reach out to us. We have talented designers and Amazon Specialists on our team that are excited to help you grow.
Related Blog: How to Add a Brand Story Section on Your Amazon Listings
