Reviews are crucial for success on Amazon, from the ranking algorithm to simply the optics of a product. Ultimately, they can make or break a product. Here are four ways to request reviews, along with their pros and cons:
Feedback Whiz/Feedback Genius
Anyone who’s worth their salt on Amazon knows about at least one of these similar programs. Tens of thousands of sellers have used them at some point – and that’s part of the problem. Not only are these tools widely used, but they are forced to incorporate Amazon’s very stringent rules: you can’t provide an incentive, for example, nor can you ask for good reviews or ask friends and family for good reviews. For those looking to be a big fish in a small pond, these programs will hardly make a splash in the sea of Amazon review requests.
Early Reviewer Program
The Amazon Early Reviewer Program is similar to Feedback Whiz/Feedback Genius in that it’s widely used. Everyone does it, everyone knows it, it’s nothing special. Even worse, it’s only for products with fewer than five reviews, meaning most products are disqualified from the program even before you know you can’t use it. Once upon a time the Early Reviewer Program may have been something special, but those days are long gone.
Vine
Vine is admittedly a smart, well thought-out program. It allows sellers to offer up to 30 units of a specific ASIN for free to Amazon-selected top reviewers. In return for free merchandise, the product will ideally receive a convincing review that helps boost visibility and credibility. However, most products don’t qualify, either because they’re not brand registered in Amazon Brand Registry, they already have over 30 reviews, they’re an adult product, or they break any of the many other rules that dictate what products can and can’t use Vine. Also, like the programs mentioned above, everyone uses Vine. As great as Vine is, it has its flaws, plus you run the risk of giving away products for free only to get bad reviews in the process.
Knoza Review Requester
Knoza’s proprietary Review Requester stands on the shoulders of giants. It uses Amazon’s “Request a Review” option, available to anyone with a Seller Central account, only it takes things to the next level. Instead of manually going to Manage Orders and clicking “Request a Review” on each product sold, Review Requester does this automatically. No clicks; it just runs. This makes the process scalable, which increases its efficiency no matter how big you grow with Knoza, which is fully responsible for the fully automated process. Plus, it takes no time to use it. Literally. Zero time. No other review program can truthfully make that claim. Furthermore, the review request is sent by Amazon, so there is no risk of breaking Amazon’s rules in terms of what is or isn’t allowed in such a message. There is no risk of getting flagged, consumers have consistency in their emails (as opposed to messages from third parties like Feedback Genius), and Knoza can guarantee that 100% of the orders will automatically include the review request. Even better, you can choose to wait for a certain period from the order date before Review Requester sends the review request.
Feedback Whiz and Feedback Genius have their merits, but they are ultimately neither connected to Amazon nor to your company – they’re just an extra player in the game, and pretty much every other seller has this inferior player on the field. The Early Reviewer Program has obstacles to use that for many sellers make it impossible to use. Vine is a high risk/low reward model that is also overly saturated. Knoza’s Review Requester, however, uses Amazon’s own tools, tools which were built to benefit small companies and which, since implementation, have consistently more than doubled the number of reviews received, to automate a system used by few for a unique, effective, and reliable source of reviews. The only downside to Knoza’s Review Requester? You’re not using it. Employ this new Knoza service, and make it the perfect product it was made to be.