How to Increase & Improve Your Ratings & reviews
When shopping on Amazon, one of the first things consumers see is a product’s star rating and reviews. The star rating and number of reviews are displayed directly under the product title on a listing in a search results page. Ratings are there for everyone to see and definitely influence whether or not a customer will choose your product over the competition. In a 2020 survey of online customers, 94% of respondents said that positive comments make them more likely to use a business. But this works both ways. Within the same survey, 92% of people said negative reviews will make them less likely to use a business. So what do you do if your product doesn’t have great feedback? Here we’ll go over how sellers can increase and improve their product reviews/ratings on Amazon so they can run a more successful business and develop their brand reputation.
Advertise Accurately
The first, and arguably most obvious, step to improving your product ratings and reviews is to advertise accurately. This means that your product detail page should be transparent about your product and actually reflect the goods you are selling. One thing that prompts customers to leave negative reviews is receiving something that is below their expectations or something that is not what was advertised on the listing. For example, if your product photography does not match up with what the product actually looks like. Thus, it is super important to advertise your products accurately so that customers get what they were expecting. To do this, ensure your product listings are up to date with current information, your product photography reflects what the product actually looks like, and that what you are claiming about your product is true.
Quality
On a related note, the easiest way to receive positive reviews and feedback is to simply have a quality product. There is stiff competition on the Amazon platform with tons of big-name sellers selling the same product as you. To get positive reviews, it is important that your product actually works like it’s supposed to and proves useful to consumers. The product will speak for itself, and if customers enjoy using your product, they are much more likely to leave a positive review.
Efficient Shipping
Another way to improve product ratings and reviews is to ensure your shipping process is efficient. Many negative reviews are not about the quality of the product itself, but are actually complaints that the product arrived damaged, opened, or late. These are all shipping-related issues that have nothing to do with the actual quality of your product. Thus it is vital that to properly represent your brand and products, you have an efficient shipping system. If you are running your own shipping process out of a warehouse, ensure your staff are diligent and that there are structures in place to prevent a lack of inventory or products being damaged en-route. If the process of shipping is too complex and unpredictable for you to run on your own, consider using shipping programs like Fulfillment by Amazon.
Customer Service
One of the most important ways to keep your feedback positive and gain more commentary is to have quality customer service. This means that when customers leave reviews, you respond in a timely and helpful fashion. Consumers want to see that a brand is engaged and cares about the experiences of its buyers. For positive comments, a simple thank you to the consumer and note of appreciation for their business is enough to make your brand appear thoughtful and considerate. But for negative feedback, it especially important to respond and get to the root of the problem. A 1-star ranking from a customer can have a great impact on your overall star rating; especially if your business is just starting out and has not acquired many reviews yet.
Often times, consumers that are leaving negative comments are upset and can be assuaged into either removing their review or even leaving a positive one instead. It is crucial that your business has a representative to respond to negative feedback and address the concerns of the customers. Many times, a simple solution like sending the buyer a new product and apologizing resolves the problem. Negative comments are also helpful to your business because they are direct consumer feedback about issues that need to be dealt with or that can be improved. Addressing your negative reviews will not only improve your overall star rating, but can also actually improve your business as a whole.
Remove Negative Feedback
Another way to improve your ratings/reviews is to remove the negative feedback through Amazon itself rather than appealing to the consumer. This is the best option in cases where the customer is using foul language or is inappropriate in some way. Additionally, removing the review may be valid if a consumer is not actually addressing the quality or usage of a product. Amazon has guidelines regarding what type of content is permissible with reviews. If you believe a customer review is out of line and is breeching Amazon guidelines, you can request to have the review removed using the Feedback Manager on Seller Central. If Amazon approves your request, your star rating and Order Defect Rate will not be impacted. Luckily for sellers using Fulfillment by Amazon, if a negative review is directly related to shipping and not the quality or usage of a product, Amazon will take down the review and leave a note stating they take responsibility for the delivery. The same goes for sellers using the Buy Shipping service on Amazon.
Sponsored Reviews
One way many businesses gain more reviews is by sending out their products to consumers through an exchange agreement. Basically, the customer will receive the product for free in exchange for leaving a review. Businesses often utilize regular reviewers or certain types of influencers to do this with as their feedback will gain more attention and traction on Amazon. This is a great way to get more consumer feedback, but keep in mind that reviewers are not allowed to be dishonest, even if they are getting the products for free. So if you want to partner with consumers, make sure you are delivering quality products.
Ask Consumers
A final way to improve your feedback and gain more of it on Amazon is to ask consumers directly to leave reviews. If done correctly, this strategy is a great way to get positive feedback and engagement from buyers. One way to ask consumers for feedback is through email. Business owners can set up automatic emails to be sent to customers, asking them to leave a review. Sellers often do this once the product has been shipped to the customer and ask how their overall service was. The email should be genuine and simple; it is helpful to remind customers how impactful feedback is for businesses and how much you would appreciate it. If you want to take it a step further, you can offer incentives to leave reviews like coupons or promotional codes.
To wrap it all up, if your product ratings and reviews are not where you want them to be, don’t sweat it. There are many creative and simple ways to improve your consumer feedback, making your business appear more professional, enhancing your brand reputation, and increasing sales. Now you have everything you need to get your ratings and reviews in top shape, good luck!