Verified purchase reviews are essential to your success as an Amazon seller.
Picture this: You’ve found the perfect product on Amazon, and you’re just about ready to hit that “Add to Cart” button. But before you make that final decision, wouldn’t it be amazing to get a sneak peek into what awaits you once that package arrives at your doorstep?
If you want to know what to expect once your package arrives, checking what other people’s experiences have been is a good way to shape the right expectations.
And trust us, Amazon knows this better than anyone else. In fact, the retail giant takes it a step further with their coveted “verified reviews.”
Reviews are a huge deal for any online shopper. The more reviews you have, and the better the reviews are, the higher your products rank in Amazon’s algorithm.
This becomes increasingly important as sponsored ads take up significant real estate on the search results page.
Below, we discuss both verified and unverified reviews, how they affect Amazon sellers, and, of course, how you can reap the benefits.
Verified Purchase Reviews vs. Unverified Purchase Reviews
Understanding the disparity between verified purchase reviews and unverified purchase reviews is crucial for your Amazon business.
- An “Amazon Verified Purchase” review reflects that the reviewer indeed purchased the product from Amazon. They paid the full price without any discounts and got the full Amazon customer experience.
- Unverified reviews are from individuals who didn’t purchase through Amazon, which could include cases where the product was bought at a discounted price.
But, why does this distinction matter? Well, verified purchase reviews will be given higher priority in Amazon search, compared to unverified reviews.
Since these reviews stem from direct purchases through the platform, there is greater assurance regarding the authenticity of the feedback. This will help sellers mitigate concerns about counterfeit products or potential issues associated with unverified reviews.
How to Get Verified Reviews on Amazon
To leave a verified purchase review, the buyer must have purchased the item from Amazon marketplace and have spent more than $50 using a valid credit or debit card within the past 12 months.
You can manually create and send product review requests to buyers through Buyer-Seller Messaging. However, this can be a tedious and often unrewarding process.
Savvy Amazon sellers prefer to automate product review requests. This allows them to customize requests for specific items to yield better results.
You can use tools like FeedbackFive to seamlessly dispatch review requests through Buyer-Seller Messaging. It requires minimal setup time and you’ll streamline the process for increased efficiency.
What You Need to Know Before Requesting Verified Purchase Reviews
Requesting Amazon product reviews demands a firm grasp of Amazon’s guidelines to ensure compliance and maintain a positive seller reputation.
Certain elements that you might be tempted to include in your review requests are not allowed by Amazon. For example, links to your storefront, or future purchase coupons and promotions.
You should also consider that Amazon strictly prohibits offering compensation, discounts, refunds, or reimbursements in exchange for reviews. Soliciting only positive reviews or implying such a preference is also against the rules.
Moreover, you are barred from reviewing your own products or those of your competitors, as well as seeking reviews from family members or employees. Even if a buyer leaves a negative review, reaching out to request changes or removal is strictly prohibited.
We developed this product review compliance checklist to break the guidelines into a series of questions. This will help you quickly evaluate any communication you are planning to send to a buyer.
Amazon’s Anti-Manipulation Policy
Amazon takes its reviews seriously and has a stringent anti-manipulation policy in place. Any attempts to manipulate or contribute false, misleading, or inauthentic content in reviews are strictly prohibited.
Violating this policy can result in severe penalties, including the permanent removal of products or sellers from the platform, withholding funds owed to the seller, and even legal action.
Related content: Amazon Review Checker
Effective Strategies to Increase Amazon Verified Reviews
So, now that you know how important verified reviews are, getting them should be an essential goal for you. But getting verified reviews is easier said than done.
You’ll need a lot of work and a special focus on strategic actions to earn verified purchase reviews. Let’s explore what are some of the main steps you can take towards this goal.
Address (and Embrace) Negative Feedback
Negative feedback can be discouraging, but once it is there, it should not be ignored. Instead, take it as an opportunity for growth and improvement. Addressing customer concerns and rectifying issues can lead to increased trust and more positive reviews.
Take Customer Service One Step Further
Providing outstanding customer service is one of the most powerful ways to encourage customers to leave positive reviews.
If you respond promptly to inquiries and go the extra mile to ensure customer satisfaction, clients would be happy with your product, and also with their shopping experience.
When that happens, they will have a lot of reasons to leave a genuine positive review.
Create a Community
Actively engage with your customers on Amazon and other platforms. Respond to existing reviews, with a professional but also engaging approach.
This ongoing communication is also a great way to invite customers to express how they feel about your sales process. You can simply invite those that are happy with the experience to leave a review.
Optimize Your Store
Every positive review starts with a strong foundation. This is why optimizing your product listings and making the most out of your Amazon Store is an essential step to get verified reviews on Amazon.
Final Thoughts
Verified reviews on Amazon provide incredible value to your listings. The quantity and quality of reviews can increase your products’ visibility on search pages.
Customers heavily rely on verified purchase reviews to make informed decisions. Thus,brands need to recognize their significance in building trust and credibility in the digital marketplace.
Remember, you can only get verified purchase reviews from customers who have purchased your product on Amazon without a discount. Their account must also meet certain requirements.
Following Amazon’s guidelines for verified purchase reviews ensures that your account will not have any issues.
Both buyers and sellers benefit from this transparent and reliable platform, fostering a thriving e-commerce ecosystem.
Want to learn more about product reviews and compliance with Amazon’s Terms of Service? Check out this webinar!
Authors
Becky Trowbridge. As the Content Manager at eComEngine, Becky works to share latest eCommerce industry news as well as strategies for running a successful Amazon business. When she’s not writing or managing content, Becky enjoys traveling, trying new recipes and reading.
Antonella Fleitas. As a freelance content writer from Argentina, Antonella’s worked with many projects to create fact-based, evergreen content about science, language learning, and culture. Her main goal is to build a strong content foundation for her clients, based on meaningful stories that people can learn from.
