In this episode of Selling on Giants: The eCommerce Marketplace Show, Becky Trowbridge, Digital Marketing Manager at eComEngine. As a dedicated advocate for Amazon sellers, Becky’s mission is to provide them with the essential information required for success in a fiercely competitive market. In the newest episode Becky talks about the “Top Strategies for Getting and Managing Amazon Reviews!”.
In this latest episode, Becky discusses the significance of Amazon reviews. Reviews are essential for providing social proof, influencing search rankings, and enhancing ad performance. She also highlights that reviews offer valuable insights into the buyer mindset, aiding in market analysis and niche understanding, while emphasizing the importance of staying compliant with Amazon’s review guidelines to avoid potential account issues. Tune in to gain key insights into digital marketing strategies, Amazon seller tips, and how to thrive in the ever-evolving eCommerce landscape. Whether you’re a seasoned eCommerce pro or just stepping into the online marketplace, this episode is your ticket to mastering the art of Amazon selling and digital marketing. Join us for a deep dive into the world of eCommerce with Becky Trowbridge and equip yourself with the tools you need to excel! Don’t miss out on “Top Strategies for Getting and Managing Amazon Reviews!”.
Key takeaways: / Short Summary:
Importance and Benefits of Amazon Reviews
- Becky Trowbridge, digital marketing manager at Ecom Engine, is the guest on Selling on Giants, the eCommerce Marketplace Show.
- Becky introduces herself and her company, highlighting their experience with Amazon feedback requests and automation.
- Victor Dwyer, the host, asks why Amazon reviews are important.
- Becky explains that reviews serve as social proof for potential buyers who cannot physically handle the products.
- She mentions that product reviews can impact search rankings on Amazon.
- Becky emphasizes the importance of retail readiness and achieving a good average rating.
- Early reviews are crucial to ensure the success of advertising efforts and to align with customer expectations.
- She concludes by pointing out the often overlooked benefits of reviews.
Importance of Reviews for Amazon Sellers
- Reviews offer valuable insight into the buyer mindset and can help sellers understand their market share, niche, trends, and prime day Q4 placement.
- Reviews provide unique insights that are not easily available in traditional brick-and-mortar stores.
- Word cloud tools and sentiment analysis can be used to analyze and understand market trends based on reviews.
- Getting reviews is not easy, and Amazon’s review algorithm relies on recency and relevance.
- Sellers should request reviews on every eligible order to improve their review ratings.
- Requesting reviews does not mean annoying buyers; keep the request short, sweet, and to the point.
- Enrolling in the Vine program, although costly, can help gather weighted reviews for product launches.
- Buyer-seller messaging and the “request a review” button in Seller Central can be used to request reviews.
- If sellers have a high volume of orders, it can become challenging to request reviews for each order.
Amazon Review Guidelines and Seller Messaging
- Using third party software like FeedbackFive can automate review requests but sellers need to ensure that the software is in the Selling Partner app store vetted by Amazon.
- Sellers must follow Amazon’s review guidelines to avoid getting in trouble with Amazon and potentially having their account suspended or deactivated.
- Sellers can access resources like a review guide provided by FeedbackFive to understand and comply with the guidelines.
- Sellers are allowed to request reviews, but they must adhere to the Amazon communication guidelines.
- Review requests must be sent within 30 days of order completion, in the buyer’s preferred language, and include the 17 digit order ID.
- Sellers can use buyer seller messaging to send customized review request messages, but they need to be aware of additional considerations.
- The request to review message, sent on behalf of the seller by Amazon, is a compliant option that includes the buyer’s preferred language and order ID.
- FeedbackFive recommends using the request to review message for easy compliance and automation, with over 77 percent of their customers using it.
Importance of Timing and Compliance in Requesting Reviews
- Different sequences for sending review requests depending on the products being sold; timing is crucial.
- For products like supplements, it is advised to wait at least 30 days before sending a review request to allow customers to have enough time to experience and evaluate the product.
- Timing functionality is available to send review requests quickly for products that are used or consumed rapidly.
- Orders that have been refunded are automatically excluded from review requests to avoid negative customer experiences.
- It is against the guidelines to ask for positive reviews, attempt to influence reviews, or ask buyers to remove or change reviews.
- There are strict rules against review manipulation, such as leaving reviews for own products or competitor products.
- Request a review message from Amazon is the most effective way to get reviews as it looks official and complies with Amazon’s guidelines.
- Sending buyer seller messaging for review requests has become more difficult due to Amazon’s compliance changes and guidelines.
- The language used in review requests should be neutral and carefully chosen to avoid any potential issues.
Managing Requests for Reviews and Negative Feedback on Amazon
- Amazon controls the messaging sent to buyers, and it can be difficult to differentiate between a product review and a seller review when requesting reviews.
- Many sellers and customers have expressed frustration with this issue.
- Some sellers prefer to focus on feedback rather than reviews to improve their account health.
- The request to review message highlights the product review request, with the seller feedback request mentioned in the bottom.
- Seller feedback concerns the ability to sell and includes aspects such as packaging, while product feedback focuses on the product itself.
- Changing the timing of review requests and considering the buyer’s journey can positively impact the review process.
- Sellers have little control over subject lines or other factors in the review request process.
- Amazon no longer allows sellers to comment on reviews, limiting their options for dealing with negative feedback.
Importance of Monitoring Reviews for Brands and Sellers
- The functionality behind leaving comments on reviews was never great because it didn’t notify the buyer when a response was left.
- Leaving a public reply on reviews demonstrates good customer service to potential buyers.
- Brand Registered sellers on Amazon can contact buyers who left one to three-star reviews to offer refunds or replacements and ask for more details about the issue.
- However, sellers can’t ask buyers to change their reviews, only feedback.
- Sellers should always attempt to resolve any issues raised in negative reviews to provide a good customer service experience.
- If a review violates community guidelines, sellers can report it as review abuse to ask Amazon to remove it.
- Contacting buyers who left bad reviews on the backend is considered a bad strategy and goes against Amazon’s guidelines.
- It is not worth the risk of the seller’s account to message buyers who left bad reviews.
- Monitoring reviews for brands and sellers is important for maintaining a good reputation and addressing any issues raised by customers.
Importance of Amazon Reviews and Using Analytics
- Analytics enable users to export Amazon reviews, a feature not available on Seller Central.
- Reviews contain valuable information about customers’ thoughts and can be used to identify trends and generate ideas for new products.
- Negative reviews can highlight areas for improvement, such as updating listing content or addressing issues with suppliers/manufacturers.
- Keeping tabs on potential products to sell can be done by tracking ASINs or utilizing tools like the product opportunity explorer and Amazon color central.
- Reviews provide insights into the customer experience, helping to improve listings and products.
Strategies for Getting More Reviews on Amazon
- Emphasize the importance of having your own website or email list in addition to relying on Amazon.
- Utilize your own marketing channels, such as sending emails to followers, to promote new products on Amazon and generate initial reviews.
- Having a strategy is crucial; simply posting on seller central and hoping for traction is not effective.
- Many sellers fail to understand Amazon’s guidelines for requesting reviews, leading to confusion and missed opportunities.
- Sellers should take advantage of features like Amazon tailored audiences to maximize their business impact and target repeat buyers.
- Repeat buyers who are loyal to your brand are ideal for reviewing products, so focus on soliciting their feedback.
- Sorting and distinguishing the reviews of repeat buyers from those of new buyers is an essential yet overlooked practice.
Product Inserts and Review Incentives
- Offering incentives, such as coupons or gift cards, in exchange for reviews is against the rules and can lead to trouble.
- Competitors can potentially report such review incentive practices, making it not worth the risk.
- Asking for a positive review is also not allowed.
- Clever postcards can be used to encourage reviews without offering incentives and catching the attention of customers.
- The difference between a postcard and a product insert is discussed, with the latter referring to instructions or other materials inside the package.
- Documentation regarding Amazon’s guidelines for product inserts is limited, so it is important to extrapolate from general review guidelines.
- The speaker suggests that it is necessary to be cautious and avoid “gray hat” strategies when it comes to product inserts.
Strategies for Requesting Reviews and Addressing Customer Service on Packaging and Postcards
- Bigger brands may have more leeway in certain areas compared to other brands.
- Avoid requesting a review on packaging if an insert is included to address potential bad experiences.
- To encourage reviews, it is advised to include a separate card that mentions the option to leave a review but without using the word “love.”
- The focus on postcards is primarily to automate processes and it is unclear what would be acceptable in terms of customer service queries on postcards.
- As the year progresses, it is crucial to optimize performance during Prime Day and Q4, using Prime Day as a dress rehearsal.
- Vacation periods and busy times should not deter from requesting reviews for Prime Day orders as people often buy for themselves during that time, while Q4 purchases are usually gifts and less likely to result in reviews.
Or listen to the previous episodes on the different platforms:
Links:
- LinkedIn – Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beckytrowbridge/
- Branded – LinkedIn: https://www.ecomengine.com/
“Selling on Giants: The eCommerce Marketplace Show” is sponsored by BellaVix. To learn more, head over to https://sellingongiants.com/
Don’t miss out on the next “Selling on Giants: The eCommerce Marketplace Show” episode, and subscribe.