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The Power of Product Reviews: How to Encourage Customers to Leave Feedback

Discover the importance of product reviews to sell more in your eCommerce

eCommerce
Product-Reviews

If you're running an eCommerce store, you know how important it is to collect customer reviews. Product reviews are a powerful tool that can influence a potential customer's purchase decision, as they provide social proof and insights into the quality of your products. 

In fact, research shows that 91% of consumers read online reviews before making a purchase. 

As a Shopify store owner, it's crucial to encourage your customers to leave feedback throughout the year. In this post, we'll explore the power of product reviews and provide a step-by-step guide on collecting them on your Shopify store so you can improve your sales

Let's get started!

Why Customers Don't Leave Reviews

We all know customer reviews are an essential part of any eCommerce store's success. They not only provide valuable feedback for the business but also influence the purchasing decisions of potential customers. However, getting your customers to leave reviews can be a challenging task if you don’t have the right product review strategy. Here are some common barriers to leaving reviews and ways to overcome them.

Common barriers for customers leaving reviews

  1. Lack of Incentives: One of the most common reasons customers don't leave reviews is the lack of incentives. If customers don't see any value in leaving a review, they are less likely to do so.
  2. Time Constraints: Another reason customers don't leave reviews is time constraints. People lead busy lives and often don't have the time to sit down and write a review.
  3. Technical difficulties: Technical difficulties can also deter customers from leaving reviews. If the review process is complicated or requires customers to create an account, they may abandon the process altogether.

Ways to overcome these barriers

  1. Offer Incentives: One of the easiest ways to overcome the lack of incentives barrier is to offer customers an incentive to leave a review. This could be in the form of a discount code, a gift card, or a chance to win a prize.
  2. Make it Easy: To overcome the time constraints and technical difficulties barrier, make the review process as easy as possible for customers. Consider using a third-party review platform that allows customers to leave a review without having to create an account or jump through any hoops.
  3. Follow-Up: Following up with customers after a purchase can be an effective way to encourage them to leave a review. Send a personalized email or text message asking for their feedback and provide a direct link to the review platform.

By addressing these common barriers and making it easy for customers to leave reviews, you can increase the number of reviews you receive, leading to increased trust and sales.

Best Practices for Encouraging Reviews

Of course, you want to know the best ways to encourage reviews, so let’s cover some best practices!

Timing

Timing is everything when it comes to asking for reviews. You want to ask at a time when the customer has had enough time to use the product but not so long that they forget about it. The ideal time to ask for a review is within a week or two of the customer receiving the product.

Now, depending on the type of eCommerce store you run, your timing may be different. 

Here are some examples of when to ask for reviews for different eCommerce verticals:

Home Decor

If you sell home decor products, it's a good idea to ask for reviews about two weeks after the customer has received the product. By this point, they should have had a chance to decorate their space with the item and form an opinion about it.

Pets

For pet products, you may want to wait a little longer before asking for a review since it may take some time for the customer to see the full benefits of the product. A good time to ask for a review might be four weeks after the customer has received the product since they'll have had time to use it on their pet and see how it performs.

Jewelry

Since jewelry is often given as a gift for special occasions, it's a good idea to ask for a review a little later on. About six weeks after the customer has received the product is a good time since they'll have had a chance to wear it to events and receive compliments on it.

Electronics

For electronic products, it's important to ask for a review fairly soon after the customer has received the product since technology is constantly changing and becoming outdated. Within a week of the customer receiving the product is a good time to ask, while the product is still fresh in their mind and they can provide an accurate review of its performance.

Communication

The way you ask for a review can greatly impact whether or not a customer actually leaves one. Here are some tips for effective communication:

  • Use a personalized approach: Address the customer by name and thank them for their purchase.
  • Keep it short and sweet: Don't make the request too lengthy or complicated. Keep it simple and direct.
  • Make it easy: Provide a link or clear instructions for leaving a review.
  • Be polite: Remember to say please and thank you.

Incentives

Incentives are a great way to encourage customers to leave reviews, but it's important to use them ethically and effectively. A review platform like Fera offers a variety of incentives that can be used by merchants to encourage customers to leave reviews. 

Here are some of the most popular types of incentives:

Cashback

This incentive is great for eCommerce stores, especially those on Shopify. With Fera, merchants can offer customers cashback for leaving a review. For example, you could offer a $5 cashback on a customer's next purchase for leaving a review.

Loyalty Points

Fera also offers the ability to reward customers with loyalty points for leaving a review. This incentivizes customers to leave a review and also encourages them to shop with you again in the future.

Discounts

Offering a discount on a future purchase is another effective way to incentivize your customers to leave reviews. Fera lets merchants offer a percentage or dollar amount off of a customer's next purchase for leaving a review.

It's important to note that incentives should be used ethically and not in a way that manipulates customers into leaving positive reviews. Offering incentives should simply encourage customers to share their honest opinions about their experience with the product or service!

Tips for Managing and Displaying Reviews

Reviews can be a powerful tool for building trust and credibility with potential customers. However, managing and displaying reviews effectively is key to maximizing their impact. Let’s cover how to do this!

Respond to reviews

One of the most important things you can do with reviews is to respond to them, especially negative ones. Responding shows that you care about your customers' experiences and are committed to making things right. When responding to negative reviews, be empathetic and address the specific concerns raised. Avoid getting defensive or argumentative, and instead, focus on finding a solution that works for both you and the customer.

Showcase reviews 

It's important to prominently display reviews on your product pages and throughout your site. This can help build trust with potential customers and give them the information they need to make a purchase. Consider using a review widget that allows customers to filter and sort reviews based on various criteria, such as the most recent or highest rated.

Integrate reviews with social media 

Reviews can be a powerful tool for social proof, so it's a good idea to integrate them with your social media and other marketing channels. Share positive reviews on your social media pages, and consider using them in your email marketing campaigns or other advertising efforts. You can also use reviews to identify areas where you can improve your products or services and incorporate that feedback into your marketing messaging.

Conclusion

Product reviews can greatly impact the success of your eCommerce business. They provide valuable feedback to you and help your shoppers make informed purchasing decisions. We explored the importance of product reviews, as well as best practices for collecting, managing, and displaying them. By implementing these best practices, your business can encourage more reviews and ultimately improve your bottom line. So, whether you are a small startup or a large corporation, it's time to prioritize reviews in your eCommerce strategy and start reaping the benefits! If you are looking for the best review app, try Fera product reviews!

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