Any product gets negative reviews at least occasionally. These are more harmful than you may think. When users make a decision, they usually scroll straight to the criticism to understand what issues they could face. One bad comment may deter hundreds of potential buyers. So, what should you do about negative feedback on Amazon?
Bad reviews lead to a decline in sales. Unless you have an all-in-one Amazon review management tool, dealing with critics is a big challenge. Here are a few possible measures.
What You Should Never Do
Asking customers to change their rating violates Amazon’s policies. You are not allowed to ask for review modification, even after solving the problems described. Yet, this is exactly what some sellers used to do, and this inevitably got them into trouble.
If you do not want your account to be shut down, play by the rules. The company may also sue anyone who violates the guidelines on your behalf. The authenticity of reviews is a priority for Amazon.
Recommended Methods
First, the platform allows you to leave a public reply to any comment. If you do it right, this may help minimize the damage. Secondly, you could request deletion of a problematic review by Amazon itself.
The latter is preferred by sellers and vendors alike. However, bear in mind that the platform tends to side with customers. Usually, it only deletes comments violating the guidelines.
As you can see, the only guaranteed way to minimize the risks is to provide excellent support and clear product descriptions. It does not mean all the comments will be positive. After all, feedback is subjective, and misunderstandings do happen. Still, the share of such comments is sure to shrink.
1. Reply Publicly
You can and should respond to any review publicly, be it criticism or praise. Public comments on negative reviews reveal your perspective on the issues in question. If the grievance is valid, show what you did or will do to solve the problem and prevent it in the future.
2. Communicate Empathy
It does not matter if the complaint is justified or not. Demonstrate to the customer that you truly care about their experience. Convey your willingness to provide excellent customer service.
3. Use a Call to Action
When responding to criticism, finalize with a request to contact you. This should be done via the Buyer-Seller-Messaging Service. Note that including your email or hotline is against the Amazon policy.
When to Request Deletion
Amazon will delete any review which violates its guidelines. This is the way to get rid of those devastating one-star comments. For a removal to happen, the violation must be obvious. For instance, the comment could be deceitful or glaringly inappropriate. If you suppose it is simply not fair, your attempt will fail.