Editor’s Note: Originally published on June 13, 2019, updated on Aug. 10, 2023.
Is it just us, or is managing your feedbackA performance rating on a scale of 1 to … More on Amazon getting harder? Let’s talk about the tools sellers can use to keep their feedback rate in check, and how to remove negative feedback without the risk of a suspension.
To most sellers, having good feedback on Amazon is crucial. It affects sales volume, ODR rate, and Buy Box eligibility. To some extent, it even affects the IPI score. But maintaining a good feedbackA performance rating on a scale of 1 to … More rate isn’t easy.
Amazon offers a variety of tools and reports to help you understand feedback score and manage your negative feedback. For instance, there’s the Feedback tab under Performance in Seller CentralAmazon Seller Central is a portal or a h… More. There you’ll find the Feedback Manager, which shows your score, as seen by buyers.
Then there’s the FeedbackA performance rating on a scale of 1 to … More report, which you can access from the same menu. It breaks down your ratings and provides 4 downloadable spreadsheets per day. You can also request a different timeline for your report and filter results to show only negative feedback, for instance.
Finally, there’s the ‘Customer feedbackA performance rating on a scale of 1 to … More problems’ section in Account Settings> Orders. It’s a seller’s go-to for negative feedback management. But it’s not perfect. On the one hand, it streamlines feedback management. On the other hand, it’s a target for dishonest sellers.
Asking Buyers to Remove Amazon Feedback
Buyers are 50% more inclined to leave negative rather than positive feedback, according to Reputation X. To make things worse, to remove their feedbackA performance rating on a scale of 1 to … More, they must go to Your Orders or use the Leave Seller Feedback link and sort through, looking for a tiny “Remove” button.
Bearing in mind that the process could be time-consuming and possibly frustrating for them, here are 5 tips for asking buyers to remove feedbackA performance rating on a scale of 1 to … More on Amazon:
- Be patient. From the time their order is placed, buyers have 90 days to leave feedback. They then have another 60 days to retract it. So, it can take up to 5 months to resolve the issue, and buyers may need some hand-holding. But it’s time well spent.
- Be helpful. Buyers can access feedback links from their order list or from a help page. But the format isn’t consistent across venues. Sometimes, Amazon’s instructions are vague or inaccurate. If you can, send them the link they need to remove feedback.
- Be careful. When first contacting buyers, apologize, ask for details, and offer to refund all or part of the shipping cost as a sign of goodwill. Note that outright refund offers or other incentives in exchange for feedback removal are prohibited. So, phrase your message accordingly.
- Be specific. The seller messaging service lets you specify that you’re writing to a customer about feedback. But as eDesk shows, feedback requests are a form of non-critical communication and buyers can always opt out. So, they may never receive your message. Consider using a buyer-opt out notification tool.
- Be honest. Some sellers send messages with the word ‘Important’ in the subject line to bypass the opt-out hurdle. But if a buyer complains, Amazon may send a warning about bothering them, or suspend the account immediately.
Posting a Public Reply
Be diligent. When buyers don’t respond or they don’t want to cooperate, the next step is to post a public reply to their comment. This reply serves as proof that you’ve reached out to customers and you’re still open to suggestions – both signs of goodwill.
Be courteous. There’s no room for finger-pointing here. Phrases like ‘your issue’, ‘despite’, ‘you feel’, etc. indirectly place blame on the buyer. To show that you reached out with the best of intentions, talk about what you’ve done or would have liked to do for the buyer.
Asking Amazon to Remove Feedback
Be punctual. Sometimes buyers are unwilling or unable to remove negative feedbackA performance rating on a scale of 1 to … More. If you don’t hear back from buyers and you’re nearing the 60-day deadline, Amazon may be able to help. But only if the feedback violates the guidelines, and it’s less than 90 days old.
Be convincing. Contacting Amazon should be a last resort. But as long as the buyer received the product, Amazon will hear your case. When you write, prove to Amazon that at least one of these conditions is satisfied in as few words as possible, with quotes and order details:
- The language used is obscene.
- The information is personally identifiable.
- The comment refers to the product, and there’s no mention of the service.
- The order was fulfilled by Amazon or using Buy Shipping services.
Be clear. Just like before, with the messages, Amazon doesn’t take kindly to sellers who misrepresent their case. If you try to trick them by opening cases on a different topic from the available menu, Amazon may have no choice but to shut you down. Only contact them if the feedback violates the guidelines.
| Tip: Once you select Request Removal, Amazon sends an automated message saying it may or may not remove the feedback. You then have 5 days to reopen the case, once only, if you want to make changes that you think are relevant. |
Melanie takes an active interest in all things Amazon. She keeps an eye on the latest developments and keeps Amazon sellers up to speed.
2 Responses
Nice
Managing feedback on Amazon can be tough! 📉 Use these tips to handle negative reviews and keep your account in good shape. 👍📦