Major tech companies across the USA are going through a reshuffle this year. But what can you do to make sure it won’t affect your business? Find out how to improve seller feedback and product reviews for your Amazon listings, so that you continue to grow in 2025.
Each new year comes with challenges and changes for Amazon. Some are positive, such as the launch of the MK30 drone. Others not so much- like discontinuing DEI programmes, Freevee, and “Try before you buy”. Either way, it will take some time before sellers see their effects.
But one change is already helping Amazon sellers. New tools have been released to make managing feedback easier. Here’s a brief guide to help you harness these resources so that you increase your Amazon seller rating, build trust with shoppers, and drive them to buy more.
Why Product Reviews and Seller Feedback Matter
The Importance of Amazon Product Reviews
When it comes to Product Reviews, they’re essential to your growth because they provide social proof. Displayed on the product page, these testimonials hold sway over buyers. Shoppers read them when they’re comparing products and deciding which one offers the best value for money.
It’s important to improve the rating and volume of product reviews for Amazon sellers. A higher volume of ratings helps boost rankings organically. So, you get more eyeballs on your product. If the reviews are positive and informative, they’re also a natural incentive for others to buy.
So, a positive review is a gift that keeps on giving. But even negative reviews can be useful. Together with some of the latest features from the Voice of the Customer tool, such as insights, graphs, Review Sentiment, and recommendations, they can help you improve your offers.
They can also help spot and fix discrepancies. But they can only go so far in terms of listing optimization. For instance, the character limit for titles will be extended to 200 (incl. spaces), on Jan. 21, 2025. As always, special characters that are not part of a brand name are forbidden.
However, Amazon will no longer allow titles that contain the same word more than twice. You should be able to fix these titles with the new Manage All Inventory tool to avoid issues like Amazon reviews for wrong products. Also, as a brand owner, you get a 14-day respite before Amazon takes any action.
The Value of Seller Feedback on Amazon
Your Seller Feedback score is also crucial. Buyers check it after they’ve already decided to buy a specific product, just before check-out. But it’s also essential to Buy Box eligibility. Most Amazon Buy Box strategies aim for a score of at least 90% (i.e., 4.5 out of 5 stars).
If you’re wondering how to improve seller feedback, you’ll find plenty of advice in our post titled “How to Manage Your Negative Feedback”. It’s packed with must-read seller feedback tips on topics like guidelines, incentives, email opt-outs, and Amazon feedback removal.
But that’s not all. Over the past 2 months, Amazon has been rolling out a new feature called Customer Service Insights. It’s part of the Feedback Manager page in Seller Central. This tool shows metrics on buyer dissatisfaction, contact rate, and response time for MFN orders.
| Note: this feature is not available for Amazon FBA reviews.|
As a Brand Owner, you have access to several other tools that are exclusive to you. For instance, the Customer Loyalty Analytics Dashboard offers insight into new conversions, repeat custom, and changes to the lifetime value of specific sets of customers.
You can then use this data to not only tailor your promotions, but also your feedback requests. Reach out to your most loyal customers, for instance. Dazzle them with promotions for the items they might like the most and then they may feel more inclined to praise your services.
How to Boost Your Product and Seller Ratings
10 Ways to Generate Product Reviews on Amazon
There are countless ways to bring about and manage a greater volume and/or quality of reviews. But some of them clash with current Amazon review compliance policies. If you’re interested in ethical review generation, then be sure to follow these tips on product reviews for Amazon:
1.The CX Approach. It goes without saying that you can more easily meet customer expectations when you deliver high-quality products. Clear product photos and detailed descriptions will also help inform and convince buyers.
2. Click “Request a Review”. Use the built-in tool in Seller Central to request reviews from buyers. Bear in mind that buyers can opt out of these emails, and any review request that poses as an urgent or critical message can trigger a suspension.
3. Create Product Inserts. Slip a friendly insert into the packages to thank your buyers, with a URL or QR code that takes them to the review page. But bear in mind that the same rules apply to product inserts for Amazon reviews.
4. Follow Up. Use Amazon’s chat-like messaging system to thank customers and politely request a review after you resolve a genuine query.
5. Sign Up to Amazon Vine. Use the Amazon Vine program to gather early reviews from trusted shoppers on up to 200 products in exchange for a fee. In case you’re wondering “Are amazon vine products taxable?”, most countries do not levy taxes on gifts; but if reviewers intend to resell, they may incur taxes on more valuable items.
6. Make a Product Video. Video testimonials are far more convincing and informative than a few written comments. You’re free to include a user’s video review with your product images, rather than create a product video from scratch.
7. Generate Video Ads. As a Brand Registry member, you can also create your own user stories and show your product in various scenarios with generative AI.
8. Use Software Tools. Many sellers use Amazon review automation tools. They come with metrics, templates, and notifications. But if you jump on that bandwagon, remember that cherry-picking your reviewers is forbidden.
9. Perfect Your Review Requests. For maximum effect, your email requests must not only be compliant and courteous, but also timed well. Ideally, you should send them right after the delivery.
10. Collaborate with Influencers. Influencer Marketing is all the rage with Amazon sellers. So, find influencers who can provide reviews, giveaways, viral marketing, and placement on their own Amazon storefronts.
| Note: TikTok will no longer be available to users in the USA from Jan. 20, 2025.|
8 Steps to Improve Seller Feedback on Amazon
There are myriad ways to increase Amazon seller ratings, but not all of them are above board. If you want to know how to improve Amazon seller feedback scores ethically, we have 8 seller feedback tips you can use with confidence:
- Strive for Excellence in Customer Service. Respond promptly to queries and resolve issues professionally. This keeps customers engaged, prevents them from looking for alternatives, and lowers the risk of a claim.
- Request Feedback Regularly. Include instructions and links when you solicit feedback, as well as when you ask for Amazon feedback removal, as the process may be different from one marketplace to another.
- Show Goodwill. Be generous to customers who are disgruntled, offering to refund their shipping costs or provide discounts as a gesture of goodwill.
- Monitor Feedback Score. Address negative comments and request removal of inappropriate feedback within 60 days of posting. Take care not to offer refunds and incentives outright in exchange for feedback removal.
- Keep an Eye on Feedback Reports. The Feedback Manager page offers a number of downloadable spreadsheets. You can use them to filter results by score, compare ratings across timelines, and spot trends in customer expectations.
- Automate Feedback Requests. Use automation tools to offer a consistent service. But make sure that they are compliant and that they can keep up with policy changes.
- Check Returns and Claims. There are customers who return their items without warning, too late, or not at all because they’re afraid you won’t issue a refund willingly. They may be pleasantly impressed if you wrote to them in a conciliatory tone.
- Ask Amazon for Help. Ever asked yourself “How can I remove negative feedback on Amazon?” When and only when the feedback violates the guidelines and the buyer won’t respond, you can ask Amazon to remove it.* You must select the right topic from the options given; if Amazon refuses, you can reopen the case within 5 days.
*Amazon removes reviews no older than 90 days that refer to an FBA or Buy Shipping delivery, comment on product rather than service, or use obscene language.
4 Pivotal Compliance Tips
Finally, remember that the customer reigns supreme on Amazon. So, as a seller, your main concern should be to make sure that your Amazon customer experiences are smooth and uneventful. Here are a few crucial compliance tips for Amazon sellers who put customers first:
- Avoid incentivizing, cherry-picking reviewers, or asking for positive reviews.
- Keep communication neutral and professional with all your customers as well as Amazon, and never contact them under false pretenses.
- Do not jack up reviews with fake accounts or external services or run the risk of having not only a genuine Amazon review deleted or listing suppressed, but your whole account suspended too.
- Beware of dishonest sellers who resort to flooding listings with fake AI reviews- including vine comments-, manipulate product variations, resort to brushing scams, operate bait-and-click campaigns, or straight up hack other sellers’ reviews.
We round off hoping that this year’s challenges won’t shift your focus from delivering value, fulfilling the needs of the customer, and using ethical review generation strategies to grow as a seller. With a strong emphasis on Amazon customer experience and compliance, you can build trust, improve your reputation, and increase sales all at once.
Melanie takes an active interest in all things Amazon. She keeps an eye on the latest developments and keeps Amazon sellers up to speed.