Reviews on one of the core values that Amazon brings to ecommerce. They have more product reviews than that top 25 ecommerce sites combined. And despite all the concerns about fake reviews (and there are a ton) consumers still rely on them heavily. Brands go to great lengths to make a quality product and nurture good reviews.
Unfortunately, bad reviews are bound to happen. This is especially critical when an item first launches. Getting 1 star review as the first review reduces your close rate but up to 80%! So what should you do about a bad review? Here our 5 best-practice recommendations:
- Step One: Determine the context of the review.
- Is the reviewer a repeat one- and two-star reviewer?
- Is the bad review subjective? “I didn’t like the flavor.”
- Is the review unwarranted? Ex. Bad shipping experience, incorrect product.
- Step Two: Decide what to do for the customer.
- Faulty or damaged product? Send a new one.
- Didn’t like the color/flavor/size? Offer a refund.
- Just a crabby customer? Respond, but don’t engage.
- Step Three: Fix the problem.
- Faulty product: fix the issue and update the listing to indicate the new feature(s).
- Shipping issue: work with logistics to rectify the problem so it doesn’t happen again.
- Incorrect or unclear product details: update the title, images, bullets and description with clear wording.
- Step Four: Respond to the review.
- Be clear, factual, and professional.
- Apologize for the bad experience.
- Point out warranty information, return policies.
- Include a customer service number.
- Outline the steps you are taking to fix the problem.
- Mention it if you are offering a replacement item or refund.
- If the original poster or anyone else responds to your response DO NOT ENGAGE.
- REMEMBER: This is for the benefit of the reviewers as well as all future customers reading the review.
- Example response: “We are sorry to hear that (product) did not meet your expectations. We have refunded your money and updated the product description and photos to be more clear. Please feel free to reach out to us at 123-456-7890 if you have any other questions or comments.”
- Step 5: Follow up with the reviewer.
- Follow up to ensure they are satisfied with your response.
- NOTE: Remember, asking someone to change their review is against most channels’ (including Amazon’s) policies.
Monitoring product reviews, customer feedback, and performance metrics on a scheduled and regular basis is key to maintaining good-standings for your brand and within ecommerce channels.
Do you have other questions or need help? Call us at 800-667-6098 or email us now: [email protected]