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See FeaturesShould ecommerce merchants pay customers for product reviews?
Product reviews have become a cornerstone of the online shopping experience. More than half of online shoppers in the USA consider customer reviews one of the most important factors when making purchase decisions. Which means that merchants who don’t have product reviews enabled in their ecommerce stores are likely missing out on sales, because potential customers can’t see what the experience was like for other buyers.
Given this significance, it’s no surprise that some merchants consider incentivizing customers to leave reviews, such as through discounts, store credit, or even direct payments. But is this practice beneficial, or does it come with hidden risks?
In this article we’ll dive into a somewhat philosophical question of “Should you pay to get reviews?”
How do paid reviews work?
Incentivizing product reviews is not a new concept — many major ecommerce platforms have systems in place to gather customer feedback.
Take the Amazon Vine for example. It’s an invitation-only program, which selects the most insightful reviewers who then can order items free of charge and in return share their experience of using it. These reviewers are called Vine Voices and to become one, they had to be already consistently giving quality feedback prior to receiving an invitation. In order to keep the transparency, Amazon discloses which reviews are written by Vine Voices.
Similarly, smaller merchants tend to offer discounts or store credit to customers who leave reviews. These incentives can be powerful motivators and, when used ethically, can effectively grow the volume of your product reviews, potentially leading to more sales.
Some of the common ways to incentivize reviews include:
- Discounts on future purchases: Offering a percentage off the next purchase in exchange for a review encourages repeat business while at the same time gathering customer feedback
- Store credit: Providing store credit that can be used for future purchases gives customers an immediate benefit and builds loyalty
- Free products: If the person agrees, sending a free product in exchange for an honest review not only helps bulk up the reviews section but also allows direct communication with the consumer, which can often be very insightful
- Enter a giveaway: Entering customers into a prize draw if they leave a review adds an element of excitement
- Loyalty points: Reviews can be integrated into a broader loyalty strategy by awarding points to those who contributed
However, it’s important to distinguish between incentivizing honest reviews and outright buying positive feedback. The former aims to encourage genuine customer engagement, while the latter can mislead potential buyers and damage a brand’s reputation if (and when) discovered.
Potential pitfalls of paid reviews
While it can be tempting to pay for reviews, just to get an easy win, things can go very south, very quickly.
Take the 2018 film Ophelia, for instance. The movie received lukewarm reviews, landing it a low rating on Rotten Tomatoes. A PR firm then decided to manipulate the system by paying obscure critics to write positive reviews, and it worked — the rating jumped high enough for a coveted “fresh” label. However, Rotten Tomatoes ended up being the ones taking the heat, as it was exposed how easy it is to spam fake reviews, so the credibility of all reviews began to be questioned.
Another scenario was discussed widely in Brazil, where a network of “gig reviewers” were willing to rave about anything for a quick buck. These reviewers filmed themselves praising products they’d never even seen, often for as little as $4. The scripts came from shady businesses looking to boost sales of everything from magic hair growth remedies to weight loss pills.
While for reviewers it might seem like a harmless way to make ends meet, this scheme hurts everyone involved. Shoppers get ripped off with useless products, reviewers risk legal trouble, and trust in online reviews erodes.
Incentivizing product reviews can be a double-edged sword, because of such manipulative practices. Now, when customers realize that reviews have been paid for, they may question the credibility of all reviews on a platform, which can lead to a loss of trust and long-term damage to the brand.
Ethical considerations and best practices
So, how can merchants navigate the ethical minefield of incentivized reviews? The key lies in transparency and a commitment to authenticity:
- Disclose incentives: Any incentives offered should be clearly disclosed to your potential customers, so they can make their own informed decisions. You can do that by adding a disclaimer next to each incentivized review.
- Encourage honest feedback: Incentives shouldn’t come with an expectation of only a positive review. You should rather encourage them to share their honest experiences, whether positive or negative.
- Build genuine customer relationships: Instead of focusing solely on paid reviews, try building genuine customer relationships to encourage organic reviews. This can be achieved with channels like email, SMS, or social media.
Wrap up
While incentivizing product reviews has the potential to increase the volume of feedback and encourage sales, it also carries significant risks if not done ethically. Transparency and a focus on authenticity are essential if you’re considering this tactic.
You should weigh the benefits against the potential downsides and consider alternative strategies for encouraging genuine customer reviews, such as fostering a community of engaged customers. This way you can build lasting trust and credibility, which are ultimately more valuable than a temporary boost in positive ratings.
In the end, the question isn’t just whether merchants should pay for reviews, but how they can encourage authentic feedback that truly reflects customer experiences.
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