You Are No Longer Permitted to Review Products on Amazon

When Amazon first introduced product reviews to the market in 1995, people were pretty skeptical, to say the least. To many, it seemed like a recipe for disaster. How would giving people a very public platform to complain be helpful for anyone?

Fast frontward to today, and review platforms appear in virtually every industry. The vast bulk of shoppers at present read reviews before making a purchase and put them on par with recommendations from their own family and friends.

That being said, Amazon's review program however gets the king of beasts'southward share of attention, both good and bad. While much of this is due to the massive growth of the market place, it tin also be traced dorsum to Amazon's changing review practices over the years. What is and isn't allowed is withal a gray area for countless sellers, and there's a very small margin for error. 1 error can exist incredibly costly.

That'southward where we come in. As the creators of FeedbackFive, the #i rated feedback and reviews software in the Amazon Appstore (now the Seller Central Partner Network), we're known throughout the manufacture for our expertise in this area.

We beloved when sellers like you lot come up to us with questions, whether it be through our weblog, webinars, social media, or customer success squad. We're dedicated to seller education, which is why we put together this Amazon reviews FAQ. Do you know the answers to these questions? Come up observe out!

When is it considered okay to message customers?

Amazon updated the Advice Guidelines for its Buyer-Seller Messaging system in late 2020. It recognizes two types of Heir-apparent-Seller communication: permitted messages and proactive permitted letters.

Permitted Messages are communications that are considered necessary to consummate an order or are responses to customer service inquiries.

Proactive Permitted Messages are communications that are initiated by the seller and are not a response to a buyer'south question.

The following are examples of proactive permitted messages:

  • Requesting product reviews/seller feedback
  • Resolving an issue with order fulfillment
  • Requesting information needed to complete an order
  • Sending an invoice
  • Scheduling delivery for a heavy or bulky item
  • Verifying a custom design
  • Asking a question almost a render
  • Scheduling an Amazon Home Services appointment

You may send proactive permitted messages to request seller feedback and product reviews through Buyer-Seller Messaging, Amazon'due south Request a Review push button, or with Amazon'south Selling Partner API. You besides have the ability to employ third-party software, similar FeedbackFive, to automate feedback and review requests using Amazon's API.

These types of letters are not permitted by the marketplace and should not exist sent:

  • Order/shipping confirmations
  • Simple "thank you" emails
  • Emails that offer your assist if buyers accept whatsoever issues with your production
  • Marketing or promotional letters, including coupons
  • Messaging with manipulative language encouraging a positive review or seller feedback rating
  • Requests for a heir-apparent to remove or update an existing product review
  • Requests for reviews only if the heir-apparent had a positive feel with the product
  • A repeat request (per order) for a product review or seller feedback

For more information, including details on the use of attachments, external links, and phone numbers, check out this corking article: New Communication Guidelines for Amazon Heir-apparent-Seller Letters.

Can a heir-apparent review a product not purchased on Amazon?

Yes! Anyone can review any production on Amazon, regardless of where it was purchased, provided they run across certain eligibility requirements as outlined in the Community Guidelines. If Amazon tin ostend the person writing the review purchased the product on the marketplace (and without a deep disbelieve), the review will be given a "Verified Buy" badge. This can be helpful for distinguishing your Amazon customers from those who most likely purchased the product elsewhere.

Related Reading: How to Get Amazon Verified Purchase Reviews

Can I still utilise production inserts to request product reviews?

Yeah, but go on with caution. This review solicitation method can be beneficial as it gives buyers a tangible reminder to go get out a rating. Inserts are also a nice way to personally connect with your customers, and they tin exist helpful for getting more repeat purchases, promoting your other products, and communicating of import warranty/client back up information.

However, you'll want to be very, very careful equally inserts have been known to become some sellers into trouble, especially in recent months. Practise not:

  • Offer costless gifts or any other incentives for positive reviews
  • Specifically ask for positive reviews fifty-fifty if in that location'south no incentive given
  • Instruct customers to purchase from your website or direct them to another shopping platform
  • Inquire customers to contact you direct instead of leaving a negative review

Ever utilise neutral linguistic communication and stay inside Amazon's rules. Bank check out this mail for more info and to meet real-life examples: Amazon Product Inserts: What To Do [Plus Bonus FAQ].

How tin I move positive seller feedback that'due south about the product to the review page?

First, a quick refresher on feedback vs. reviews. Customers should exist leaving seller feedback to allow you lot know how well you lot did with your packaging, shipping, responsiveness, and professionalism as an Amazon merchant. A product review should exist just that — a review of the physical item or service.

That being said, some shoppers still confuse the two and may leave them in the incorrect place. All the same, Amazon will but remove feedback in these three instances:

  1. It includes obscene or profane language.
  2. Any personally identifiable seller information (like a full name, email address, or telephone number) is included.
  3. The unabridged feedback annotate tin be considered a production review.

In the to a higher place instances, Amazon will sometimes automatically remove the feedback for you. Nigh of the fourth dimension, notwithstanding, you'll take to flag information technology for removal via the Feedback Manager in Seller Central.

Recent feedback table on Feedback Manager page

Note that if the annotate has feedback on the product every bit well as you, the seller, Amazon won't remove it. And in all of these scenarios, the marketplace removes the feedback — it will not motility information technology to the production page. Technically, yous could post a public reply and enquire them to transfer it to a product review, but yous're probably better off but leaving it lone.

Related Reading: Amazon Feedback Removal Guidelines: What You Need to Know

What practice we say when people ask us for gratis products in exchange for reviews?

Never send people free products in exchange for reviews, fifty-fifty if that person says they volition requite their honest feedback. Amazon reviews take been nether the microscope for a while now, and the Federal Trade Commission has even gotten involved.

Practice not autumn into this trap. Report these requests to Amazon and mark the message equally "no response needed" then yous're not dinged in your response time records. Continue to solicit feedback and reviews from actual buyers, not those just looking to score a complimentary product.

And while you lot may be tempted to send a freebie to someone as your fashion of proverb thanks for being a skilful customer, Amazon won't come across your gesture equally good PR. Don't run a risk your selling privileges for this.

Our article, Amazon Review Policy: What You Need to Know, is a really good resource to keep handy.

Why did Amazon remove several of my production reviews?

Amazon will remove product reviews from the market place for any of the following reasons:

  1. The review conflicted with its Community Guidelines.
  2. The review was removed by the reviewer.
  3. Multiple products were incorrectly listed as the same production; when the products are separated, the reviews will be separated as well.
  4. Amazon spotted unusual review behavior and isn't currently accepting/displaying reviews for that particular, or it may just be accepting/displaying Verified Purchase reviews.

Why did my written reviews subtract this year if my sales are increasing?

Chances are you're seeing the furnishings of the new Amazon rating system. Introduced to the marketplace in 2019, Amazon ratings permit shoppers to leave a i-v star production rating without likewise having to write a full review of the item.

Create review on Amazon's your orders page

Many shoppers like one-tap ratings because they have and so fiddling fourth dimension to consummate, but we empathise some sellers' frustration with them. Written reviews are a huge asset to your Amazon business and influence many of your product and inventory decisions. All the same, having a loftier number of ratings (preferably good ones!) can certainly catch a shopper's attention. Don't discount them from your review strategy.

Did Yous Know: FeedbackFive'due south automatic review requests besides account for Amazon ratings and allow buyers to leave a written review or a simple star rating. With Campaign Analytics, you can also dig into all of your feedback data to examine how your email campaigns are affecting the number of seller feedback, ratings, and reviews received.

Tin I ask for review removal after providing a refund?

No, you lot may non ask buyers to change or remove their reviews at any time. If you lot piece of work with the customer to resolve the problem, which may include a refund or replacement, they may choose to edit or delete the review, but it has to be their decision. Do non attempt to influence information technology.

Amazon'south review policy clearly states that you cannot offer a refund/reimbursement in exchange for removing a negative review.

Can I go a competitor review removed from my production?

Amazon sellers are not allowed to review their own products or their competitors'. That existence said, information technology does happen. Bad actors have been known to employ this tactic to go a leg up on the competition. However, this is a breach of multiple selling policies and the Seller Code of Acquit, which prohibits you lot from attempting to "damage or abuse another seller, their listings, or ratings."

If you seriously doubtable this to exist the instance or, better yet, accept proof that this is happening, report it. Only don't practice this for every bad review yous receive — it won't go over well with Amazon.

Is in that location a manner to contact buyers who left negative reviews?

Sellers used to be able to comment on reviews right from the product page, but this feature was retired in December 2020. In June 2021, Amazon announced that brands can contact buyers who left critical 1-iii star reviews with templated emails through Buyer-Seller Messaging. This is just 1 more benefit of joining the Amazon Brand Registry.

The new feature, which is housed under the Brands menu in Seller Central, allows you lot to contact buyers for two reasons:

  1. To offering a full courtesy refund or a replacement item
  2. To try to clarify a product issue based on the review

Neither of these templated letters can be edited in whatever way.

Related Reading: Brands Tin can Contact Buyers About Negative Reviews on Amazon

If Amazon also sends a message, how should we time our message to non overwhelm the buyer?

Another good question! Yeah, Amazon does send its own solicitation for ratings, only non for every order. You accept no control over the timing of these requests, but you lot do for your own messages.

All feedback and review requests must exist sent within 30 days of gild completion. You'll want to enquire for seller feedback right abroad when the feel is yet easy for customers to recollect. But for product reviews, it looks a little different. You need to give buyers time to effort out the production. To know which day is best, consider what the particular is and how long it takes for people to form the best opinion of it.

If you ship your request also early, they may not have experienced the product's full value yet. If the request is sent too late, the detail could exist long forgotten. Seasonal items like holiday decorations, costumes, and gifts also require some actress consideration.

Check out our article Perfect Timing: Knowing When to Send Your Emails for an in-depth analysis of several top categories and their recommended bulletin timing.

Fun Fact: FeedbackFive's Campaign Rules part allows you to hands adjust the timing of your requests and so you're always sending the right message at the right fourth dimension.

Which is more important: seller feedback or a product review?

Nice question! Yous definitely want both, and for different reasons. Feedback influences your account health, acceptance into certain Amazon programs, and Purchase Box buying. It's also a key competitive advantage that tin can set you apart in a crowded category. Perchance even more importantly, your feedback rating is a public grading of your reputation equally a seller. Customers wait at this very closely.

Reviews are the public perception of your products. They help buyers make purchasing decisions and provide invaluable data well-nigh your existing ASINs and can even influence hereafter product decisions. Reviews as well factor into Amazon'south search algorithm; products that receive quality reviews on a regular basis are placed in a higher place in Amazon's search results, and nosotros all know that many shoppers don't go by page one. This is a huge benefit.

We'd like to call it a tie, but if y'all really twisted our arm, the answer would exist reviews. Merely still practise your best to become both!

An easy way to accomplish this is past sending Amazon's Request a Review message — which yous can exercise with FeedbackFive! — as it includes a combined request for both seller feedback and a product review.

Acquire Something New?

Nosotros promise this commodity taught you a thing or two near reviews! It's pretty clear to see that having the correct Amazon review strategy is disquisitional.

FeedbackFive helps sellers in 17 Amazon marketplaces become more feedback and reviews every unmarried day. Whether you create a custom request or apply Amazon's Asking a Review message, you'll salvage fourth dimension while reaching more buyers. Plus, the software's flexible product review management plans make it easy to monitor your reviews while text and/or email alerts allow y'all know when new ratings arrive. Detailed analytics are also available so you lot can better visualize their impact on your business and observe what letters piece of work — and which ones don't.

Nosotros're happy to answer whatsoever of your questions almost reviews, FeedbackFive, or Amazon in full general. Just make it touch!

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Source: https://www.ecomengine.com/blog/amazon-reviews-faq

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