Amazon reviews are a critical factor in the success of any product. Buyers rely on reviews to make informed buying decisions, and Amazon's algorithm gives priority to products with more reviews. Furthermore, products with higher reviews have a better chance of appearing on the first page of search results, leading to increased visibility and sales. Therefore, getting more Amazon reviews should be a top priority for any seller.
But how exactly do you get more reviews, legally?
To protect the integrity of reviews, Amazon enforces strict policies about reviews. These policies ensure that buyers aren't duped by sellers gaming the system. There are ways of getting Amazon reviews the right way, without resorting to black or gray hat tactics.
First, it’s important to know that Amazon takes reviews seriously. We have seen entire accounts get shut down for review manipulation, and it is very difficult to reinstate your account for these violations. Here are the things you must avoid to stay in good standing with Amazon regarding reviews:
Sellers are not permitted to review their own products. Sellers aren't allowed to give competitors' products negative ratings. There's a clear conflict of interest with this behavior so it makes sense.
Additionally, sellers aren't allowed to incentivize customers to leave reviews. There's an implied persuasion for positive reviews with incentives. Incentives prohibited include:
Any violation of these policies can lead to Amazon:
A brand doing sales over $9 million a month on Amazon came to us after their account received a suspension. An Instagram user who loved their product left a positive review with a claim they received the product for free. Despite having not solicited the review, Amazon suspended the account for product review manipulation. We were able to get their account reinstated but after weeks of lost sales. Some sellers resort to black hat tactics, but Amazon will catch on eventually and will shut them down. The reward is not worth the risk when there are many ways to request reviews legally for amazon.
Amazon has several programs to help sellers so they don’t need to resort to shady practices. There are also non-Amazon programs that can assist sellers that are within Amazon’s Terms of Service.
Amazon Vine is available to Vendors and Brand Owners on Seller Central. To qualify, products must be Fulfilled by Amazon (FBA), have units in stock, fewer than 30 reviews, and in new condition. Sellers select how many units to give away to Amazon reviews (max of 30.) Currently, the cost to run vine is $200 per parent product. Vine is a great method for getting reviews quickly on new products to jumpstart sales.
Amazon’s Request a Review button appears in a user’s Seller Central. The button appears in a unique order’s Order details section. While a valuable feature, it is tedious to manage this for every order. Imagine clicking this button for every order! Luckily, if a task is repetitive, there must be a way to automate it. There are plenty of software solutions that will do the task for you. In fact, some are better than others. We've evaluated a few and found varying features and reporting. Feedback Five emerged as our favorite as it provides:
You can get a free trial here: Feedback Five
Another effective way to get more Amazon reviews is to include product inserts in your product packaging. These inserts could be thank you notes or cards with a request for a review. Make sure your language is polite and friendly, and include a clear call to action, without an incentive. The language used should merely request the customers feedback on the product by leaving a review and should avoid biasing the customer towards a positive review.
Although there are several active ways to request reviews, the most important part in getting more Amazon reviews is to ensure that you provide an outstanding customer experience. This means that your product should be of high quality, your listing should be accurate and descriptive, your pricing should be competitive, and your customer service should be top-notch. If you can deliver on these fronts, you will increase the chances of receiving positive reviews from satisfied customers.
We can't emphasize enough how important reviews are for your products. More importantly, we also can't emphasize enough how important it is to play by the rules. Remember that it's not just about getting more reviews; it's about providing an outstanding customer experience and building a loyal customer base. So, follow these strategies, provide excellent service, and watch your reviews (and sales) soar! You can save a ton of time with the right software and partnering with an agency of experts like us.
ROI Swift is a digital marketing agency that specializes in Amazon services. With our specialized services, we can help you improve your Amazon reviews and sales. Our team of experienced professionals has the expertise to create effective strategies to increase visibility and product reviews on Amazon. By managing your campaigns, optimizing product listings, and providing strategic direction, we will ensure that your products are successful on Amazon. Contact us today to learn more.
Note: some links in this post are affiliate links where we receive a nominal commission. We would not recommend anything that we don’t think will help your business.
