How to Get Great Reviews on Amazon

In the world of online business, much like in any business, sales are king. But not far behind that when selling on Amazon is the reviews for your product.

How to Get Great Reviews on Amazon

It’s important to understand why. Studies have shown that 90 percent of online customers say their choices are heavily influenced by reading reviews, and 68 percent can read up to six different ones to help form an opinion. Sellers have reported a similar correlation - the more reviews a product has, the more units it sells. Good Amazon reviews increase Sellers metrics and are a good indicator of the performance of the Seller.

Having a lot of satisfied customers is usually a strong indicator of a good product, and because Amazon’s systems listen to feedback, that means your item will move up the Amazon search results, increasing your chances of future sales further. Amazon wants to know that a product is high quality and has been provided with top level service in order to recommend it - and they use reviews to decide just that.

Amazon also understands that reviews matter for conversion, which in turn impacts sales history. That is another one of the drivers for search rankings, and it’s all initiated by reviews.

“In short, the more reviews you have, the more likely someone is to have a positive impression of your product and buy it,” Thompson and Holt managing partner Craig Gedey explains.

“As such you should be constantly looking to improve the experience your customers have with your company, so that they come back for more. And their feedback gives you an insight into the thoughts of your customers, allowing you to analyse and then look to improve certain areas. They are absolutely invaluable.”

So how do you get more, and crucially more positive reviews? Thompson and Holt’s Gedey has compiled five key areas to target increasing your number of five-star Amazon reviews.

1. Provide the best possible customer experience

Sounds simple doesn’t it? But when you’re looking at the content of reviews, just as important as the quality of your product itself is the service you provide in dispatching it. A customer could be delighted with the actual product, but if it’s taken ages to arrive, or the packaging is badly damaged, then they are still likely to leave a negative review. Listen to your feedback to highlight any areas that can be easily fixed and work hard to do that as quickly as possible. The more attention to detail you pay when it comes to how your product is perceived, the stronger your chances of getting a 5-star review are.

2. Speak directly to your customers

Because your buyers are effectively Amazon’s customers, you won’t be given their email addresses. But that doesn’t mean you can’t contact them directly. The best way to do this is through Amazon’s Buyer-Seller Messaging Service, and although customer will receive messages there from Amazon itself, you have the opportunity to make them more personal and therefore more effective. Don’t bombard them with emails constantly asking for reviews, or try and put words into their mouths. But do address them personally, thank them for buying from you, ask them politely to share a review, and follow up once if that is not forthcoming, just letting them know there’s still time to write one.

3. Don’t be afraid to ask

While you certainly shouldn’t be frequently emailing customers begging for reviews, asking them in the correct manner once or twice certainly won’t do any harm. And direct messaging or emailing isn’t the only way to do that - social media can be a good platform for the same objective. That can be done through general posts, but also replying directly to somebody who might have mentioned your product online. Ask them if they’d mind leaving a review on Amazon.

4. Don’t over complicate matters

Time is of the essence for many online consumers so they don’t want complicated processes either before or after making their purchases. Keep any communications short, clear and concise, with clear instructions on how to navigate your Amazon page and leave a review.

5. Respond to all reviews

Some Amazon Sellers fall into the trap of only responding to negative reviews, in an attempt to defend their product, service or business. But it’s just as important to reply to positive reviews as well, and can often lead to repeat sales. It also presents a good online image for prospective customers. Putting positive responses online can be a great way to generate more five star reviews in the future.

Don't worry if you receive a negative Amazon review, there are plenty of tips on how to deal with Amazon reviews here.

Offering incentives or using Facebook groups to obtain Amazon reviews can often lead to a review manipulation suspension. If you have encountered any problems while selling on Amazon that have led to suspensions, contact Thompson and Holt immediately to get your business back online in the quickest possible time.

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