The Amazon Early Reviewer Program is a powerful tool designed to help new products build credibility and garner authentic reviews. For new sellers or products without reviews, having social proof is crucial for gaining trust and encouraging potential buyers to make a purchase. This program helps you get early, verified reviews from customers who have purchased your product. Here’s how you can use the Early Reviewer Program to build credibility and enhance your product’s reputation on Amazon:
1. Understand How the Early Reviewer Program Works
The Early Reviewer Program encourages customers who have purchased your product to leave an honest review. Amazon offers them a small reward (typically a $1-$3 gift card) in exchange for their feedback, ensuring that the reviews are genuine and unbiased.
- Eligibility: The product must have fewer than five reviews and be part of the program. It must also be priced above $15 to qualify for the program.
- How it works: Once eligible, Amazon will randomly invite verified buyers of your product to leave a review, and in return, they get a reward.
- Authenticity: Reviews generated through the program are authentic and come from customers who purchased your product, making them trustworthy for other buyers.
2. Enroll Your Products in the Early Reviewer Program
To begin leveraging the Early Reviewer Program, follow these steps to enroll your products:
a. Log in to Amazon Seller Central
- Go to your Seller Central account and navigate to the Advertising tab.
- Under the Advertising section, find and select the Early Reviewer Program option.
b. Select Products for the Program
- Choose products that are eligible based on the criteria mentioned earlier (less than five reviews, priced over $15).
- Enroll products that you want to increase the review count for. You can enroll up to 100 products in the program.
c. Pay the Fee
- Amazon charges a one-time fee (usually around $60 per ASIN) to enroll a product in the Early Reviewer Program. The fee is charged regardless of how many reviews your product eventually gets.
d. Program Duration
- The program typically lasts for about a year or until the product accumulates a certain number of reviews (typically 5). After this, your product is automatically removed from the program.
3. Maximize the Effectiveness of the Program
While enrolling in the Early Reviewer Program can help you get more reviews, the process works best when paired with other strategies. Here are a few ways to maximize its effectiveness:
a. Make Sure Your Product Listing is Optimized
Before enrolling, ensure that your product listing is fully optimized:
- High-Quality Images: Use clear, high-resolution images that showcase your product’s features and benefits.
- Compelling Product Title and Description: Create an engaging, easy-to-read product description with relevant keywords.
- Competitive Pricing: Ensure your product is competitively priced, as customers are more likely to leave a review if they feel they received good value for their money.
b. Encourage Reviews Through Follow-Up
Even though the Early Reviewer Program helps solicit reviews, you can also encourage customers to leave feedback through Amazon’s Request a Review button in your Seller Central account. This option sends a standardized email that requests reviews from customers who made a purchase.
- Timing: Be sure to request reviews only after your customers have received the product and had enough time to try it.
c. Ensure Quality and Customer Satisfaction
Quality products are key to positive reviews, especially when customers are incentivized to review early on. Make sure your product meets customer expectations:
- Provide clear instructions, quality materials, and an easy-to-use product.
- Offer excellent customer support to address any concerns quickly.
d. Use Amazon’s Other Review Tools
While the Early Reviewer Program is effective, consider using Amazon’s Amazon Vine Program for products that need a stronger push for reviews. This program invites top reviewers to test and review your product in exchange for free products. Although it’s slightly more expensive, it can help drive high-quality reviews for new listings.
4. Leverage Reviews to Build Credibility
Once you start accumulating reviews through the Early Reviewer Program, you can use them to build credibility in several ways:
a. Highlight Reviews in Marketing Materials
- Use the early reviews as social proof in your Amazon product listings and in any marketing or advertising efforts. Customers are more likely to trust a product that has at least a few positive reviews.
- Display review snippets in your product images or on external sites to demonstrate your product’s credibility.
b. Respond to Reviews
- Actively monitor your reviews and respond to them, especially negative feedback. Addressing customer concerns publicly shows that you care about customer satisfaction, which helps build trust.
- Keep responses professional and solution-oriented, focusing on resolving issues and improving future customer experiences.
c. Encourage Further Reviews
- Once your product has gathered several Early Reviewer Program reviews, you can continue encouraging customers to leave feedback using Amazon’s “Request a Review” feature or through follow-up emails after purchase. The goal is to move beyond the Early Reviewer Program to organic reviews that come from a broader customer base.
5. Build Long-Term Customer Trust
The Early Reviewer Program is just the beginning. To create lasting credibility for your Amazon business, focus on building long-term trust with customers:
- Quality Control: Always deliver on your product promises. Over time, reliable and consistent products naturally lead to more positive reviews.
- Customer Service: Provide excellent customer service by being responsive to customer queries and resolving issues quickly.
- Follow Amazon’s Guidelines: Never incentivize reviews outside of Amazon’s guidelines. Violating Amazon’s policies can result in suspension of your seller account.
6. Monitor Your Progress
Track your product’s progress throughout the Early Reviewer Program. Look at key metrics such as:
- Review Count: How many reviews did you accumulate through the program, and what is the overall review rating?
- Sales Impact: Monitor whether the increase in reviews has affected sales. Products with higher ratings typically experience increased visibility in Amazon’s search results and can earn the “Amazon’s Choice” badge, further boosting credibility.
- Customer Feedback: Take note of common themes in customer feedback and use this information to improve your product or listing.
Conclusion
The Amazon Early Reviewer Program is an effective way to gain valuable, verified reviews for your products, especially when you’re just starting out or launching a new item. By enrolling your products, optimizing your listings, ensuring customer satisfaction, and using other Amazon review tools, you can build credibility for your brand and increase your chances of success on the platform. While the Early Reviewer Program helps boost initial feedback, remember that maintaining quality and delivering exceptional customer service are the keys to sustaining long-term trust and credibility.