Ecommerce underwent an incredible surge in 2020 as consumers shifted from shopping in-store to online. By the end of the year, 71% of consumers believed the majority of consumer shopping would happen online in the future. 

We know reviews are a key influencer in consumer decision-making and how much sellers value them. In fact, 52% of sellers say that getting reviews is a challenge on Amazon. That’s why we’re providing the latest on how you can earn more for your business in 2022.

Product reviews can make or break a new Amazon FBA seller. According to a 2017 study performed by G2 and Heinz Marketing, 92% of customers are more likely to purchase a product after reading a positive review.

When you launch a product this year, it’s important that you know how to get reviews on Amazon — and how to get them quickly and legally.

Amazon reviews policy

Before we discuss different methods of getting more reviews on Amazon, we need to talk about a few rules and updates to the Amazon reviews policy that you should be aware of. 

Reviews are being replaced

In 2020, Amazon replaced Reviews with Ratings. With the new update, customers no longer need to write a text review to evaluate a product. Instead, they can simply leave a star rating ranging from 1 to 5. As a result, getting ratings on Amazon has become much easier, which has a positive impact on the sellers’ reputation.

Product rating calculations

Many sellers have a difficult time making sense of the way product ratings are calculated. Unfortunately, this is done through a complicated process in which ratings and reviews from different customers are not weighted equally. Amazon has recently developed a new weight-average algorithm to calculate product ratings, and it’s unknown which variables influence the calculations. However, here are some factors that undoubtedly play a role 

• Whether the rating or review came from a verified or unverified buyer;
• The date when the review was left;
• The number of reviews written by the buyer;
• Whether there is a deviation from the mean rating.

Therefore, a recent review left by a verified customer with a long purchasing history will likely have the most weight.

Messaging policy

Previously, it was customary for sellers to overwhelm customers with emails asking them to provide feedback. However, in 2017, Amazon enabled customers to cancel their newsletter subscriptions and opt-out of receiving millions of unsolicited letters. Amazon has also changed its messaging policy in 2020, stating that sellers can only request one review for each order. As a result, the Amazon review system has become far more complicated and significantly less beneficial to sellers. 

Amazon restrictions

To ensure transparency and fairness, Amazon has provided plenty of restrictions and rules that prevent review manipulation. If you attempt using black hat tactics to get reviews, you will be skating on thin ice, as Amazon could suspend your business. That is why sellers must be familiar with Amazon policies regarding reviews and understand the difference between permitted and prohibited methods. You don’t want to be suspended for breaking a rule you didn’t even know existed. Here are some examples of these rules:

• Do not ask your friends or family to write reviews, and do not do it on your own;
• Do not provide any freebies or discounts in exchange for feedback;
• Do not “cherry-pick” reviews. The “cherry-picking” method involves soliciting feedback from customers who had a positive experience while ignoring those who had a negative or neutral experience.

No matter what your situation is, it’s always better to work on improving your products and service instead of looking for illegal ways to get new reviews. Of course, organic reviews are always preferable, but how can you get more of them?

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How to get more reviews on Amazon?

Note: All methods described below are legal and allowed by Amazon’s rules and policies, so you don’t need to worry about your account being banned if you use them.

“Request a Review” Button

Amazon has made some positive changes that have helped retailers promote their business on the platform in recent years. For example, in 2019, Amazon gave sellers the option to increase the likelihood of a customer leaving a review. According to statistics, after the “Request a review” button was introduced, the average number of reviews a seller had increased from 3.6 to 25.9. This button has a lot of power, which is why we recommend you start using it. Here are some more details about this tool:

• You can now use the “Request Review” button within four to thirty days after the customer receives your product.
• Product rating and seller feedback requests are automatically sent in the same email. 
• You are not permitted to use templates or customize the message. 
• After clicking the “Request a review” button, you can still send a separate review request.

Ask for reviews using third-party software

The most effective way to obtain reviews on Amazon and other platforms is to simply ask for them. Many customers forget to leave feedback and are happy to do so if the company reminds them. We’ve already mentioned that Amazon only allows you to send an email request once. So how can sellers ask for more reviews? You can use specialized software to create your own email template that will include your brand logo, product imagery, and any other information you want to use. Some Amazon review software gives sellers the ability to target customers who are most likely to leave a positive review. ​​These programs look at whether customers bought a product that usually gets positive reviews, whether they received their order on time, and whether they previously left positive or negative feedback for products sold by other brands.

Tips for sending Amazon review requests with third-party software

Because feedback software will not write a message for you, you will need to find the appropriate words to engage the customer on your own. Here are some simple tips you should take into account when requesting feedback from Amazon customers:

• Choose the right time. There are certain hours or days of the week when the customer is more likely to respond to your request. As a result, you should research time zones, weekends, and other days to determine the best time to send a message. 
• Be selective. For example, you may be aware that the package was shipped to the customer late or that the order contained a fragile product that is difficult to deliver. If you are unlikely to receive positive feedback from a customer, it is best not to send them additional requests for reviews.
• Make a good impression. You can include additional resources that will assist the customer in leaving a review when sending them a message with your request. It could be a video tutorial, a detailed description of how to use the review system, or a list of common questions and answers. These minor additions may persuade the customer to award you an extra star. 
• Pay attention to the negative feedback. If you receive a negative review, apologize to the customer to lessen the impact. Try to find a personal approach and emphasize with the person to show them that their opinion is important to you. This will help to improve the situation and reduce the customer’s anger.

Build an Amazon email list

Creating your own email list is one of the best ways to gather a list of your regular customers or people who are simply interested in your business. The easiest way is to use social media to build it. For example, you can ask people to leave their email addresses in the comments to receive up-to-date information or special offers about your products. You can also start your own blog or website and ask people to visit it. After creating a mailing list, you can ask for feedback from those who have purchased from you.

Work on product inserts and packaging

Many sellers include inserts in the product package. To use this tactic, you should simply insert a card asking the buyer to leave a review into each package you mail. However, you should avoid manipulating customers by asking them to leave positive feedback or offering a discount or warranty in exchange for a 5-star rating, as this is strictly against Amazon’s rules. Reminding the customer to leave a review is acceptable; however, you cannot ask them to leave a positive review. 

Just remember to be cautious and keep the following points in mind:

• Maintain your neutrality. Do not be overly excited or ingratiating in your feedback requests; instead, simply ask for feedback politely. 
• Provide excellent customer service. Emphasize the fact that customers can easily contact you if any problems arise. Paying more attention to your customers’ concerns will help to avoid negative product reviews. 
• Don’t get caught up in the reviews. Reviews are not the only important things for business. It’s a good idea to ask your customers to leave their email addresses or subscribe to your newsletters. It will impact future sales and help you gain regular customers who are willing to write positive reviews.

When leaving a review, don’t forget to consider product packaging, which creates the first impression and plays a critical role in the customer experience. You don’t need much time or money to buy kraft paper or print stickers with your brand logo. The design should depend on the product you’re selling since you obviously don’t want to wrap an electric drill in pink paper and ribbons. You can also include user manuals and inserts with useful info in packages, and you’ll be well on your way to a five-star rating!

Try Amazon’s vine program

Many sellers include inserts in the product package. To use this tactic, you should simply insert a card asking the buyer to leave a review into each package you mail. However, you should avoid manipulating customers by asking them to leave positive feedback or offering a discount or warranty in exchange for a 5-star rating, as this is strictly against Amazon’s rules. Reminding the customer to leave a review is acceptable; however, you cannot ask them to leave a positive review. 

Just remember to be cautious and keep the following points in mind:

• Maintain your neutrality. Do not be overly excited or ingratiating in your feedback requests; instead, simply ask for feedback politely. 
• Provide excellent customer service. Emphasize the fact that customers can easily contact you if any problems arise. Paying more attention to your customers’ concerns will help to avoid negative product reviews. 
• Don’t get caught up in the reviews. Reviews are not the only important things for business. It’s a good idea to ask your customers to leave their email addresses or subscribe to your newsletters. It will impact future sales and help you gain regular customers who are willing to write positive reviews.

When leaving a review, don’t forget to consider product packaging, which creates the first impression and plays a critical role in the customer experience. You don’t need much time or money to buy kraft paper or print stickers with your brand logo. The design should depend on the product you’re selling since you obviously don’t want to wrap an electric drill in pink paper and ribbons. You can also include user manuals and inserts with useful info in packages, and you’ll be well on your way to a five-star rating!

Take care of dissatisfied customers

This method will not help you get more reviews, but it will help you resolve some issues that could harm your reputation. Until recently, sellers were not permitted to contact customers who had left negative feedback. But in 2021, Amazon started allowing sellers to reach out to buyers who were dissatisfied with the product and rated it at three stars or fewer. This way, you can establish a personal connection with the customer, take steps to fix the situation, and encourage them to revise their feedback. However, to use this tool, you must have a registered brand. 

Keep in mind that Amazon will also contact unhappy customers on its own, and you won’t be able to send a custom message until Amazon receives a response from the buyer. Of course, this doesn’t guarantee that the customer will revise the view, but it’s another chance to improve the situation.

Final thoughts 

This article has discussed the most effective legal ways to increase the number of Amazon reviews in 2021. As a seller, you should be cautious and try to abide by Amazon’s rules. This is the only way to ensure that your Amazon business remains safe and continues expanding its reach on the platform. 

Surely, all of this can be a heavy burden on your shoulders, which is why we recommend hiring a professional Amazon growth agency to assist you in developing your Amazon business. Sign up for a free discovery call with the best Amazon specialists Nuoptima has to offer today, or leave your email address so we can contact you and tell you more about our work.

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