How to gather product reviews in an online store?

The dynamic development of e-commerce means that you have to deal with increasing competition? Are you spending money on marketing activities, but they are not bringing the results you expect? The solution that meets your expectations is obtaining product reviews. Thanks to them, you will gain the trust of customers, improve your position in search results, and above all, increase sales.

Product reviews worth their weight in gold

Did you know that 97% of consumers check reviews about a company whose product or service they want to use? Why do they do it? It's simple, stars, ratings, and comments left on the Internet are social proof of validity for them. When a potential buyer sees that many people praise a company's offer, service, or delivery time, the chances of making a transaction increase. Since buyers trust reviews left online, it's worth making sure they have something to check and read. Of course, every company makes mistakes, which result in negative comments. However, you should not be afraid of them, but rather address them each time. As research shows, when a customer reads a company's response to a negative review, their willingness to make a purchase increases by 186%.

Effectively obtaining reviews from your customers

Customer service should not end with sending a package and having it received by the buyer. Every company should assess the satisfaction of consumers by sending a short survey or requesting reviews about a specific product on a selected review platform. Through such actions, you show buyers that their opinion is important to you because you care about the development of your offer. This way, you will find out what your customers really need, build a lasting relationship with them, and they will recommend you to others.

Unfortunately, it is true that satisfied buyers are less likely to add reviews. That's why it's worth motivating them, for example, with discount coupons. Additionally, you can automate the entire process of obtaining positive reviews using the Rating Captain application. The tool allows you to send invitations asking for reviews about a product on a selected review platform. In addition, you can implement a form in your online store that collects ratings from logged-in users. Another interesting solution is a pop-up on the order summary page, as well as QR codes delivered with the shipment.

And once you have gathered a large number of customer reviews about your products, proudly display them by showing widgets on the product page in your online store. Remember that by actively obtaining reviews and ratings, you can reduce the costs associated with marketing activities.

Where can an online store obtain reviews?

Did you know that having a presence on at least 3 review platforms increases the chance of making a sale by 36%? Running an online store gives you many opportunities to present your offer to the world. The most popular place to obtain customer reviews is, of course, Google My Business listing. This is also where consumers most often look for information about a company before using its services. But if you sell on Allegro or Ceneo, you can also collect product reviews on these platforms. Don't forget about Facebook, where there is a special tab where Internet users can write reviews.

How to reduce the number of negative reviews?

Listen to the voice of your product users. In their reviews, you will find the answer to what needs to be changed in the functioning of your company in order to increase customer satisfaction. This task is made easier by the Rating Captain application, which analyzes product reviews and ratings, allowing you to understand the real needs of your customers and the reasons for their dissatisfaction. Perhaps it is enough to add more detailed product descriptions or look at customer service, or maybe you need to make bigger changes and improve the sales process, add more payment and delivery methods, and facilitate the complaint process. Of course, another way to reduce the number of negative comments is to collect positive product reviews.

Or maybe just delete negative reviews? Of course, this is one way out, but it should definitely not be abused. Firstly, on review platforms, you can report a negative review if it violates the rules. By reporting a review, you are not guaranteed that it will be removed. And even if it is, potential customers may have already read it by that time. If they don't see your response, they will most likely choose the competition. What about reviews on the store's website? Here, it is important to mention the Omnibus Directive, which prohibits any practices related to manipulation (deleting and editing reviews) and creating fake reviews.

How to respond to negative reviews?

Negative comments happen to every company because no company can satisfy all buyers. That's why it's worth knowing the rules of responding to consumer reviews and always coming out on top in difficult situations:

1. Stay calm;
2. Don't send a template response;
3. Show that you care about resolving the issue;
4. Don't forget the words: sorry, please, thank you;
5. React quickly.

An unhappy customer expects the company to respond to their complaint and take steps to resolve the situation. Expressing anger on the part of the company is a very bad idea, but an even worse one is not responding at all. Just apologize and express a willingness to resolve the issue. Of course, the fault does not always lie with the seller, but the word "sorry" immediately eases the situation and allows the conversation to begin. A professional approach is also important because of potential customers who may decide not to purchase a product after reading an impolite response from the company or due to a lack of response. Therefore, response time also matters.

Managing reviews as part of a company's marketing strategy

Authentic customer testimonials about products increase the credibility of an e-store. That's why in a review management strategy, the goal is not to obtain positive reviews. The purpose of sending an email to the customer asking for a rating should be the desire to understand the real needs of customers in order to increase their satisfaction by improving the offer or streamlining processes in the company. In addition to obtaining reviews, review management also includes monitoring them and responding to all received comments, which aims to prevent crises and strengthen customer loyalty to your brand.