How important are Amazon seller reviews? How do negative ones affect my ability to sell on the platform? What can I do to increase my chances of getting positive feedback? All the answers to these questions and more in the post below!
What are Amazon Seller Reviews?
On Amazon, there are two types of reviews customers can leave—product reviews and seller reviews. Product reviews focus specifically on the purchased item. These reviews are meant to give other customers an idea of the product itself. If a customer does not want to make a written review, they can simply rate the product out of 5 stars. According to Amazon, customers are not allowed to include certain things in a product review, such as:
- Sellers and the Customer Service they provide
- Ordering issues and returns
- Shipping packaging
- Product condition and damage
- Shipping cost and speed
- Comments about pricing or availability
So, where can they bring up these concerns and make these comments?
That’s where Amazon seller reviews and Amazon Seller Feedback come in. Here, you can critique and praise the customer service experience provided by a seller. This feedback affects certain seller metrics and eligibility for certain features we will discuss later on.
Benefits of Amazon Reviews for Sellers
Social Proof
Reviews are a type of social proof. They show other customers that you are a trustworthy and reliable seller. Whenever you purchase something, there’s always a chance that something goes wrong during the process. Social proof provides relief to customers and makes customers feel like they are taking less of a risk. Because others have done it and a majority have had no issues, that’s a chance they may find worth taking.
Feedback
Amazon Seller Central reviews give you an idea of how well you are running your store. Reviews show what stands out about your business and why customers do or do not choose you over your competitors. They let you know which areas need improving and where you excel.
Is shipping a general complaint? Is your packaging arriving intact? How many post-purchase emails are you getting? What other aspects need a checkup? Reviews let you know if the system you have in place is effective and something you can build on. Overall, they give you an idea of the current customer experience.
How to Access Amazon Seller Reviews
Finding the Seller Feedback Rating
You can find your Amazon Seller Feedback Rating through Seller Central. After logging in, navigate to Performance and then click on Feedback.
Understanding the Benefits of Seller Feedback
Seller Feedback can directly impact how well you do on the Amazon platform. Negative feedback can signal to Amazon that you aren’t giving customers the best experience. If nothing changes, this could even lead to an account suspension. Below are some main advantages you can reap from positive seller feedback.
Promotes Visibility
The better the feedback, the better likelihood your products appear in customers’ recommended feed.
Improves Amazon SEO and Ranking
You can rank better on Amazon SERPS. When your products show up in front of more people more often, this can lead to more sales and increased profitability on Amazon.
Better Chance to Win the Featured Offer (Buy Box)
Seller feedback affects seller metrics which is one factor used to determine who wins the Featured Offer (formerly Buy Box). This shows up as a window that shows on the top right of product detail pages. Winning this has a number of benefits, including better exposure and visibility. It also improves your chance of getting the sale over larger sellers.
Tips for Generating Positive Amazon Seller Feedback
Here’s how to get seller reviews on Amazon that improve your ratings and increase your chances for Amazon seller perks.
Provide Exceptional Customer Service
One simple way to provide a good customer experience is to display your CS contact info where buyers can easily locate it. Customer support does not end when the customer proceeds to checkout. There’s also the time between checkout and order fulfillment you have to consider. Providing frequent updates about the status of their package is a good practice. Remain accommodating to customers who may feel anxious regarding the delivery of their package. It’s also important to have guidelines and SOPs regarding:
- Chargeback claims
- A-Z Guarantee claims
- Refunds
Follow Up with Customers Post-Purchase
Customers tend to view sellers who check-in with them after the sale as more caring. By letting buyers know you still value them as customers, they are likely to do more business with you. They may also leave a good review. This also applies if they want a refund. Even the best sellers out there have probably had to handle a refund. Remember, refunds are not fun on either side. As the seller, you need to prioritize the satisfaction of the customer. Sellers do themselves a disservice if they do not make the refund process as easy as possible. Even if you get a negative product review, at least you mitigate the possibility of negative seller feedback.
Enhance Product Quality and Packaging
Most people have probably experienced receiving a package that looked like it had become a member of a fight club. In that instance, the excitement surrounding the delivery likely turned to dread. The desire to unwrap the packaging tape quickly conflicts with anxious thoughts about the state of what’s inside. You hope with all your might that the wounds are superficial, peering into the box with one eye closed.
Hyperbole aside, if customers worry about the “intactness” of their purchase before they even see it, that’s an issue. Product and seller reviews related to packaging are some of the most common. When I see my package embraced by many layers of bubble wrap, that tells me that the seller cares. When sellers take responsibility for the safety of the package, customers take notice. Sometimes, it’s a product quality issue. In that case, you, as a seller, should still take responsibility. Consider changing suppliers or working with other product manufacturers. If you have the means, consider improving quality control and quality assurance methods.
Use Amazon’s Request a Review Button
You cannot spam customers with requests for reviews. This goes against Amazon’s ToS. Request a Review is a way you can remain compliant while still asking for and benefitting from reviews. This sends a single request for both a product and seller feedback that shows up in their email.
Optimize Product Listings and Descriptions
These listings and product pages are the first thing potential buyers see. As such, they need to be helpful and informative. Summarizing and displaying important product information about products is part of improving the customer experience. When optimizing listings make sure that your:
- Titles are legible
- Images are high quality and show off the product
- Descriptions provide useful product info
Include a Reminder in Your Packaging
The struggle isn’t always about getting positive reviews. Some sellers wonder how to get seller reviews on Amazon at all! The truth is, sometimes buyers simply need a CTA (call-to-action) – a little nudge to leave some feedback. These reminders need to grab their attention through this, like creative color, font, or message choices. Some examples of what you can say include:
- ”Satisfied with your purchase? Leave us a review!”
- ”We strive to make sure our customers have the best experience with our products and services. So, please consider leaving a review.”
Utilize Promotions and Coupons
A great customer experience improves your returning customer rate and customer loyalty. One method of improving customer loyalty is through offering special promotions and coupons to returning buyers. These include free shipping vouchers, discount codes, bundle deals, and more.
Engage with Existing Reviews
Show that you care about reviews that are already up. If you ask people to comment without evidence that you interact with them, it won’t feel authentic. On one hand they may think that their complaints fell on deaf ears, causing them to take their business elsewhere. People may also start to think that you are simply using customer reviews to boost sales and you don’t actually care. Whether positive or negative, let them know that you have read their reviews. Say thank you. Tell them you’ll look into their concerns. Acknowledge that they went out of their way to leave a review and engage accordingly.
Resolve Customer Issues and Complaints
If you have critical reviews, the solution is simple. Tackle the issue and attempt to solve it promptly. It’s also important to let your customer know that you are resolving their complaint. Keep them in the loop and let them know you care. This increases your chances that they delete their review or edit it to become positive. These reviews can also serve as a testament to your attitude and character as a seller. This is something both customers and Amazon will definitely notice, appreciate, and potentially reward.
Monitor Feedback Regularly
Check your feedback manager often. By keeping an eye on customer feedback you can keep track of your pain points. You can also examine which strategies and tactics help solve the issue and help you gain more positive reviews. There are some Amazon Seller Central reviews that are spam reviews or reviews unrelated to you. If you see these types of reviews, you should report them. Negative reviews will impact your store operations. Whether legitimate feedback or not, it’s best to resolve it as soon as possible.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are there any tools or software recommended for managing and monitoring reviews on Amazon?
There are several Amazon review tools you can use to improve your feedback management. These include:
Do Amazon’s reviews come from verified buyers?
To avoid bots and review buying, Amazon has certain requirements before posting a review or rating. The main one is that they must have spent at least $50 on Amazon within the past 12 months. You can find more about review posting conditions on Amazon’s Community Guidelines.
Do Amazon sellers pay for reviews?
While this is against Amazon terms of service, there are sellers who unfortunately engage in this. Not only do they purchase positive reviews, they sometimes also pay to alter or delete negative ones. Any merchant who does this risks account suspension. This can also negatively influence their seller rankings.
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Final Thoughts
You stand to gain a lot of benefits from Amazon seller reviews. Positive feedback definitely improves your reputation in the eyes of consumers. You also catch the attention of Amazon, which could boost your seller rankings. While negative reviews can have the opposite effect, there are ways you can avoid them through customer experience improvements.
