Every eCommerce entrepreneur wants good Amazon seller feedback & product reviews, and for good reason. 5-star reviews not only lead contribute to good rankings but more conversions.
You can’t stop at getting customers to write reviews, however. Positive reviews are crucial, but you can’t neglect seller feedback. (Yes, there is a difference.) To make things more complicated, Amazon sellers must comply with strict guidelines on how, when, and what they may communicate to buyers.
What’s the Difference Between Amazon Seller Feedback and Product Reviews?
Although they are often confused, seller feedback and product reviews serve two different purposes. Both help you sell on Amazon, but feedback refers strictly to the seller, while reviews refer to the product.
Amazon Seller Feedback
Seller feedback measures the quality of a seller on Amazon.
Amazon customers rate their experiences with a seller by submitting feedback on shipping, communication, and overall experience.
Sellers with a higher Amazon feedback rating win the Buy Box.
Amazon Product Reviews
Product reviews measure the quality of Amazon products.
Reviews provide potential buyers with crucial information and help them make informed purchases about products listed online.
Product reviews help an ASIN’s organic search rank.
One big difference between product reviews and seller feedback is that reviews are displayed on the product detail page. Feedback scores, on the other hand, require some deeper clicking to find.
As a seller, you can’t neglect feedback or reviews, but you can prioritize them based on your business needs. For example, seller feedback is especially crucial to third-party sellers, who compete with others who sell identical products. If you’re listing a new product, it’s better to focus on product reviews as the first step.
How to Get More Product Reviews & Amazon Seller Feedback
The importance of seller feedback and product reviews cannot be overstated. In fact, little matters more than 5-star reviews. How do you get them? You ask!
You could use Vine Voices, product inserts, or social media to ask. If you want to ask within the Amazon platform, use one of the following, but not both:
- Buyer-Seller Messaging
- Request a Review
Buyer-Seller Messaging vs. Request a Review
Buyer-Seller Messaging is more comprehensive, but it’s also riskier. Any modifications that you make to the original Amazon template can violate Amazon’s Communications Guidelines. It’s best if you’re looking to connect with your buyers and strengthen your brand identity, Buyer-Seller Messaging is for you.
Request a Review, on the other hand, is an unchangeable message sent by Amazon. It carries no risk as it’s inherently Amazon compliant. If you’re just hoping a customer will leave seller feedback or a good review, Request a Review eliminates the risk of messaging restriction.
Buyer-Seller Messaging
– Available only to sellers who are NOT restricted from Buyer-Seller Messaging
– Available in Seller Central (limited features and no automation)
– Available within Seller Labs PRO (includes automation, event triggers, analytics, and more)
– Multiple pre-configured templates with customizable, personalizable text
– Appears sent from your brand
– Risk of 30-day (or permanent) suspension from Buyer-Seller Messaging
Request a Review
– Available to ALL sellers, even those restricted from Buyer-Seller Messaging
– Available in Seller Central (no options or automation)
– Available within Seller Labs PRO (includes automation and your choice of send times)
– Single fixed message that cannot be customized
– Is sent by and from Amazon
– No risk of restriction because the message is created by Amazon