Few things sting as much as negative reviews. They can stir up a rush of emotions—anger, disappointment, frustration, confusion, and more. Even a single negative review can deter many potential customers and discourage them from buying from you.
Every seller on Amazon, and I say this with confidence, has negative reviews. Even top brands like Apple, Nike, and Anker receive them. Negative reviews are simply a part of selling on Amazon. It’s not possible to satisfy every customer, so a few negative reviews—emphasizing the word “few”—are normal and nothing to worry about.
Instead, we encourage our clients to focus on the positive aspects of negative reviews. What could be positive about negative reviews, you ask? There’s value in every challenge. In this blog post, we will explore how to effectively deal with the inevitable negative reviews.
Are negative reviews good or bad?
I know most Amazon sellers would agree that negative reviews are generally considered bad and there seems to be nothing good about them. Negative reviews can lead potential customers to abandon your listing. Even one negative review can deter many customers and impact your sales. Reviews are one of the biggest factors affecting your conversion rate, click-through rate (CTR), and even your chances of winning the Buy Box. Since the Buy Box favors listings with high customer satisfaction, poor reviews can significantly lower your chances.
While these points about negative reviews are true, they’re not entirely negative. Hear me out. Yes, negative reviews can cause issues and lead to losses, but a few negative reviews are normal. Of course, aiming for zero negative reviews is ideal, but it’s an unrealistic expectation. What matters is how you handle them when they do occur. Your approach to managing and responding to negative reviews can make a significant difference.
How to deal with negative reviews on Amazon
1) Keep an eye on your negative reviews
When we say that negative reviews are not all bad, we don’t mean that negative reviews are good. While a few negative reviews can be manageable, a higher volume of negative reviews is a serious warning sign. Therefore, it’s crucial to monitor the negative reviews on your ASINs closely.
Pay attention to the content of these negative reviews. For example, if a review mentions that the product was great but had delivery issues and you use FBA, then the problem likely lies with the delivery process, not your product. On the other hand, if a review points out incorrect information on your detail page, it’s time to have your listing optimized by Amazon product ranking experts.
Even if you manage hundreds of products, we recommend checking for negative reviews at least weekly, or more frequently if possible. If this seems overwhelming, consider seeking help from Amazon seller account management experts.
2) Contact customers and communicate with them
I know you might be wondering how to contact customers who left negative reviews, especially since Amazon doesn’t provide direct customer contact information and has even disabled the comment feature on reviews since 2020. You might also be concerned about whether contacting customers is against Amazon’s rules.
While Amazon has disabled the comment on reviews feature, there is an improved way to address this issue. If you’re a professional seller enrolled in the Amazon Brand Registry, you can use the “Contact Customer” feature in Seller Central. Here’s how to use it effectively:
- Log in to Seller Central.
- Navigate to your Brands dashboard and select “Customer Reviews.”
- Use the filters on the navigation bar to find critical reviews by star rating (1-star or 3-star), brand (if you represent multiple brands), or time period.
- Once you find a critical review, and if you are the seller of record for the related order, you’ll see an option to “Contact Customer” at the top right of the review.
You have two contact options:
- Courtesy refund: Offer a full refund as a gesture of goodwill. An automated email will be sent offering the refund.
- Customer support: If more information is needed to address the customer’s concerns, select this option to send an automated email seeking permission to contact the customer further via the Buyer-Seller messaging system.
After initiating contact, monitor any replies in the Message Center under “Your Account” on Amazon, and respond as needed in Seller Central within the Messages page.
Make sure all communications comply with Amazon’s Customer Product Reviews Policies and Community Guidelines to maintain professionalism and compliance.
This method allows you to address customer concerns and potentially resolve their issues, which could lead them to remove or update their review on their own. For example, if a customer left a negative review due to a shipping issue and you offer a resolution, they might appreciate the proactive approach and choose to revise their review.
3) Check if you can get support to remove the negative review
If you think a review violates Amazon’s policies, here’s what you need to know about Amazon’s review policies:
A) Sellers and customer service
- Comments on ordering issues, returns, shipping packaging, product condition, and damage are allowed.
- Comments about shipping costs and speed are allowed if they relate to the product’s value. For example, “For only $29, this blender is really great.”
- Comments about pricing related to individual experiences are not allowed. For example, “Found this item here for $5 less than at my local store.” These comments are not relevant to all customers.
B) Availability
- General comments about availability are allowed. For example, “I wish this book was also available in paperback.”
- Comments about availability at specific stores are not allowed. The purpose is to share product-specific feedback relevant to all customers.
C) Content written in unsupported languages
Content must be in the supported languages of the Amazon site where it will appear. For example, reviews on Amazon.com should be in English or Spanish. Mixed-language content is not allowed.
D) Repetitive text, spam, or pictures created with symbols
Contributions with distracting content such as repetitive text, nonsense, gibberish, content made only of punctuation and symbols, or ASCII art are not allowed.
E) Private information
Do not post content that invades privacy or shares personal information, including phone numbers, email addresses, mailing addresses, license plates, Data Source Names (DSNs), or order numbers.
F) Profanity or harassment
It is acceptable to question beliefs and expertise but be respectful. Profanity, obscenities, name-calling, harassment, threats, attacks, libel, defamation, and inflammatory content are not allowed.
G) Hate speech
Hate speech based on race, ethnicity, nationality, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, age, or disability is not allowed. Promoting organizations that use such hate speech is also prohibited.
H) Sexual content
Discussions about sex and sensuality products are allowed, as are discussions about products with sexual content (e.g., books, movies). However, profanity, obscene language, nudity, or sexually explicit images or descriptions are not allowed.
I) External links
Links to other products on Amazon are allowed, but links to external sites, phishing sites, malware sites, URLs with referrer tags or affiliate codes are not allowed. Content encouraging illegal activities such as violence, illegal drug use, underage drinking, child or animal abuse, or fraud is prohibited.
J) Medical claims
Statements or claims related to preventing or curing serious medical conditions or severe symptoms are not allowed. This applies to all products, including foods, beverages, supplements, cosmetics, and personal care products.
If a review contains any of the above content, you can request its removal using the following methods:
- Using the Customer Reviews tool in Seller Central: Navigate to the Customer Reviews tool in Seller Central, locate the problematic review, and click “Show Review Details.” Then click the “Report Abuse” button to alert Amazon.
- Opening a support ticket: Open a support ticket with Amazon Seller Support, provide details about the review, and clearly state your case for its removal.
- Reporting directly from the product listing: Go to the Amazon listing, find the review in the customer reviews section, and click “Report” to submit it for review.
4) Learn from reviews you cannot remove
“Criticism may not be agreeable, but it is necessary. It fulfills the same function as pain in the human body. It calls attention to an internal injury and must be dealt with.” – Winston Churchill
Negative reviews may not feel good, but they offer valuable insights. For example, if a review mentions that your product arrived damaged, you might need to reassess your packaging methods to prevent future issues. Similarly, if a review highlights inaccurate product descriptions, updating your listing can help set proper expectations and reduce misunderstandings.
Instead of viewing negative reviews purely as criticism, see them as opportunities to improve. For instance, if several customers mention that your product’s user manual is confusing, revising it to make it clearer can enhance user experience and reduce future negative feedback. By taking immediate action based on this feedback, you not only address the current issues but also help prevent similar complaints from other customers.
How do you deal with negative reviews?
We hope this blog provides helpful insights on handling negative reviews effectively. However, if you’re still unsure or need additional assistance, feel free to reach out to the Amazon seller experts at Sipransh EcommGrowth. We are always here to guide you in managing critical reviews gracefully and ensuring that your brand thrives on Amazon.
