Amazon is an ecosystem that is constantly evolving. In other words, it’s alive.
You can never know too much, and if you think you know everything, you’re already behind.
So, we’d better get started!
What is Seller Feedback?
The Amazon Seller Feedback program was developed to enable Amazon customers to learn more about previous buyers’ experiences with different sellers.
Every seller is given a report card in the form of Seller Feedback. This indicates the quality of customer service and fulfillment experience.
When an item is purchased, the buyer is allowed 90 days to leave a comment about their experience.
A customer’s purchasing decision on Amazon can significantly influence Seller Feedback, especially for competitive, high-value goods. Your Seller Feedback score is visible to customers, which could be a deciding factor regarding a conversion or a wasted impression.
And let’s not forget the robots that scan the product pages for relative keywords and infringing listings.
Yes, Amazon’s algorithm also utilizes your Seller Feedback when determining where to place your listing in the search results.
Why?
It’s probably obvious, but I’ll go ahead and let you in on the big secret!
Amazon only wants to showcase the BEST products to their audience. It’s all about customer experiences.
Amazon prides itself on delivering the best experiences possible in the eCommerce space, which keeps its consumers returning, time and time again.
Do you think Jenny, who works twelve-hour shifts at the trailer mill, drives her kids back and forth from soccer and softball practice, coupons, and shops at thrift stores to find the best deal, wants to spend her hard-earned dollars on a product that will NEVER arrive? A product that isn’t the right size or color?
You guessed it! She does not.
It’s a waste of time for consumers and a waste of space for Amazon. That said, take care of your customers unless you want a rocky ride to page fifteen’s cold and lonely bottom floor.
Seller Feedback vs. product reviews
Now, you’re probably wondering how Seller Feedback differs from product reviews.
Product reviews are exactly that, a review of the product itself. It’s a customer testimony of how much their dog loved your nibbles or how fast their under-desk elliptical fell apart the first time they used it.
I’m still mad about that.
On the other hand, seller feedback centers around you and your business performance. This means you’ll need to pay close attention to your buyer messages and ensure you fulfill your promises on delivery dates.
A low Seller Feedback score will hinder your ability to win the Buy Box, which would be detrimental to your business.
How is seller feedback calculated?
Enough of the scary stories; let’s talk a little about how Seller Feedback is calculated, so you’re up to speed!
Amazon uses your average on how much POSITIVE feedback you’ve acquired over a certain period. These numbers are tracked on a 30-day, 90-day, and 365-day basis, and of course, you also have a lifetime score.
Neutral and negative feedback is not included in the calculation but instead measured by your negative feedback rate. Amazon only considers five and four-star ratings to be positive, leaving three, two, and one as your neutral and negative contributors.
For example, if 95 out of 100 customers left you five-star reviews, you’re obviously responding to buyer messages with smiley faces and thumbs up. Amazon recognizes your efforts and understands no one can be perfect. Therefore, your score for the past month would be 95% regardless if the other five customers left neutral or negative feedback.
That makes sense, right? It’s almost like your teacher curving your grade, so now you have a B instead of a D.
Those were good times, thanks, Mr. Dowdle!
How DO you view your seller rating?
This is an easy one. Log in to your Seller Central account and navigate to the performance tab.
In the dropdown menu, click on Feedback.
Lo and behold your Seller Feedback rating!
This is your hub for all your seller comments, which you should pay close attention to.
More often than not, sellers will leave product reviews as seller feedback which is against Amazon’s Terms of Services and can be disputed and removed.
Pro-tip: don’t dispute the 5-star ones!
What is a good seller feedback score?
So, now that we’ve gone through the entire process, you’re probably asking yourself, “What’s a good seller feedback score”?
Well, it probably goes without saying that you’ll want to keep your rating as high as possible, but Amazon’s industry standard is 95% or higher within the last 12 months.
As for negative feedback, Amazon sees 0-2% as tremendous, but any score lower than 5% is considered reasonable and won’t affect your account much.
If you are suffering from an influx of negative feedback, here are a few tips and tricks to improve your score:
- Improve your shipping time
- Speak to your carrier, extend your handling time, and modify your shipping template
- Improve your inventory management
- Close out of stock listings or convert to FBA, so Amazon takes the fall for delivery discrepancies
- Provide easy and quick returns
- Be quick to handle upset customers by providing quick and expedited refunds or replacements
- Manage customer expectations
- Accurately describe your product on the detail page and through product images to avoid confusion
- Remove negative feedback if it’s against TOS
Conclusion
Your seller feedback is crucial to your success on Amazon. It depicts how customers see your brand and lays it on the table for everyone to see. For that reason, it is essential to listen to your customers, as they are the ones who put wind in your sail.
Without them, you’ll be stranded (inventory).
If you have additional questions or want us to help you on your Amazon journey, don’t hesitate to contact the BellaVix Team.
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