How to Get More Reviews for your Ecommerce Store

Want to take your eCommerce store to the next level? Of course, you do! You might be wondering how to do it the right way. Well, in this blog post, we will share how your customer reviews can help scale up your store and generate more sales.

Studies reveal that 95% of customers read online reviews before making a purchase. This shows that feedback from previous buyers helps potential customers to decide whether they’re going to buy or not. It’s all about finding proof that they can trust the product.

Negative reviews from previous buyers, for instance, can establish a point especially if the product has an issue of being a mistrusted brand.

Online consumers depend on each genuine review from customers. When looking for accommodation for their upcoming vacation, they’ll search for reviews on TripAdvisor. Or, if they’re planning to buy new kitchen equipment, they’ll search on Amazon and read reviews on each brand. Or, they will type on Google for a home improvement service that they need. 

As an e-commerce store owner, you should learn how crucial online reviews are for the business. They can even make or break it. So, learning how to acquire genuine reviews and handle the negative ones can make a huge difference. Support customer reviews as it will significantly improve your marketing technique and your relationship with them.

The moment customers share their reviews about a product or service, it’s a chance not to be missed by marketers. Here are some reasons why product reviews are vital for every e-commerce business. 

Make sure to add product reviews to your e-commerce site (Wix, Shopify, etc) to improve your ranking in Google. 

It builds trust and credibility when shoppers see your customer reviews and average rating badges online. Reviews and rating badges make your website more reputable leading to customers choosing your shop over other stores.

The more reputable your brand is, the higher boost your search traffic will have.

When visitors visit your online store, they will not only check your product details. They will also look for reviews. If they don’t find one, they might leave the page since there’s nothing to prove how good or bad the product is. But when they browse the products and see reviews, they are more likely to hit the buy button. 

Understand that not everyone is willing to be the first to try something not yet familiar. People normally follow others who have already purchased and tried the product. Furthermore, customer reviews with videos and photos are more reliable, encouraging potential customers to try the items. 

Such factors will result in better conversions and higher sales since your target customers are more willing to purchase from your website.

One of the most common challenges of e-commerce site owners is the source of content ideas. People want to see fresh and interesting content that will entice them to check your products. 

But when you ask for product reviews, videos, and images from customers, it will also generate various user-generated content (UGC). All these you can use for marketing purposes – ads, blog posts, social media creatives, and more. 

Utilizing user-generated content uniquely showcases your products because it provides more details about the product from the actual people who have tried and vouched for them.

Promoting your products becomes easier and less salesy, as the customers’ reviews do the talking.

Most shoppers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations and word-of-mouth marketing. Customers always want to buy the best for their money, so learning from online reviews can be very helpful. When customers share positive experiences and high ratings for the product or service, it acts like a personal endorsement, inviting others to make confident purchases.  It’s somehow similar to when a family member or a friend is highly recommending the product. 

Product reviews not only build trust but also open doors for shoppers to discover new products. Since customer reviews also serve as feedback, customers often use them as reliable tools to make their buying decisions. When potential buyers see a lot of positive feedback, it signals to them that the product is worth their money. 

Online visibility is increased when your online store highlights a collection of positive reviews. This, in return, helps draw in curious shoppers and expands your customer base.

Competition among ecommerce stores is becoming tight nowadays. This is why customer reviews are essential to stand out among them. Quality reviews from your real customers can drive and influence the purchasing behavior of your prospective buyers.

So, how can you acquire more reviews for your eCommerce store? Here are some of the most effective ways:

Writing a review can be daunting for shoppers especially when they are busy or if not too familiar with the platform. So, make sure it is easy for them to leave a review. Keep it mobile-friendly since most shoppers are doing the transactions through their phones. 

The more convenient it is for them to leave a review, the higher the chance for you to keep reviews coming in.

When customers make an order with multiple products, let the customers have a way to review multiple items easily. This technique will also ensure that you’ll get quality user-generated content.

If you want your customers to leave online reviews for your products, you have to ask. This may feel awkward, but it can do magic! Ask past customers to leave their feedback personally, by email, text, through the phone, and in other ways possible. 

When a customer shares something nice about your brand, whether it’s on social or in person, use that feedback as a chance to lead them to your online review platform. Let them know the value of feedback and how much you appreciate it from them. Make sure to guide them through the process of writing their feedback.

Asking for reviews does not have to be difficult and intimidating. It can be a generous and sweet interaction that can build better relationships and engagement with your current and potential customers.

One of the easiest ways to ask for a review is an SMS or an email sent at the right time. The purpose is to encourage them to leave a review after using your product.

But what’s the best time to send an email requesting for a review? It will depend on the type of product they purchased. For hard products like equipment and appliances, you can wait for 21 days.

For other soft goods, such as clothing, food, or cosmetics, you can send an email within 14 days. For seasonal products, sending your customers an email to your customers within 7 days is ideal. You can send a follow-up 5-7 days after sending the first email.

The timing will ultimately depend on the type of product you’re selling and your potential customers. For hard goods (or products that last a long time), like fridges and washing machines, wait for 21 days. 

One way to motivate your customers to give you a review is to offer them incentives for the reviews they provide. Incentives can be loyalty points, discounts, or cashback.  

Loyalty points help build up a customer base that proves loyalty to your brand. Offering discounts to your customers will encourage them to make another purchase of your products. Cashback, on the other hand, is an appealing incentive when you want to receive a higher response rate for review requests. For instance, you’ll be giving $5 cashback when they submit a video review of the product they purchased.

There are 5.17 billion social media users all over the world, and people spend time scrolling on social media for an average of 144 minutes a day. That’s incredible! 

So, why not use it to your advantage? When your customers leave reviews on your social media, more people can see it and learn how great your brand is. 

Add a Review Tab on your Facebook page. Or, use a branded hashtag on your Instagram account to highlight your rewards program. 

Also, don’t forget to share existing reviews on all your social media profiles. This will not only add visibility but will also add value to your brand.

Customers love to feel valued and appreciated. A way to express that to them is by showing how important their opinions are. Listen to their complaints, concerns, and suggestions. Make sure that their negative reviews are handled properly and responded promptly. 

When you receive a bad review, make sure that you apologize and respond on the appropriate platform. Assure them that you value their feedback and that you will take action on how to make things better.

After collecting reviews from your customers, publish them on your store website. When customers see that you accept and value feedback, they are likely to be more inspired to submit more. This will help establish trust and make your brand stronger. 

You can create a page on your website to display all the reviews or have them in a slide or carousel element on your website. Design them to match your brand theme and look more appealing.

Tip: You can also use Canva to style your reviews. Beautiful templates are available on their app.

If your store is new and just starting out, sending giveaways, freebies, and samples in exchange for reviews is a great idea. This is also a smart technique if you’re launching a new product.

A review management service can help manage your store’s online reputation. From acquiring reviews from real customers to responding to their feedback, all these can be handled by a review management service.

Reviewr helps business owners get high-quality reviews by managing all aspects of their review reputation. With our custom solutions, you can ensure that your eCommerce store will be in good hands.

Strong customer service with a personal touch is always an asset of every eCommerce store. Have a dedicated customer service team who can provide stellar service to your customers. They must be well-rounded in how to interact and respond to questions and concerns regarding your products. Once your customer service team resolves a customer’s issue, it’s an ideal time to ask for a review.

Customers do not want only to read positive reviews. They also want to check the negative feedback about the product. And it’s understandable. A smart shopper always aims to find opinions from all angles. 

Consider negative reviews as an important part of your eCommerce business. The way you handle them can make a big difference for your store.

Customer reviews are essential to scale your eCommerce store. They will help you build trust, increase conversion, and improve your online store. Asking for reviews from your customers may sound daunting, but there are effective ways to do it successfully. Follow the tips mentioned above and you’ll be amazed with the results.

Check out how Reviewr can help and let’s go get some reviews!