Why You Should Use an Amazon Review Checker

Amazon reviews are vital to the continued success of your business. But what should you do if you start getting reviews that you suspect are fraudulent? How should you handle negative reviews, and what can you do about them?

We’ll explore these questions and explain how an Amazon review checker can help you operate more effectively.

How to Spot Fake Reviews

Fake or fraudulent reviews can create a negative experience for Amazon customers, who rely on reviews to make informed decisions when selecting products. Inaccurate reviews also create complications for you as an Amazon seller. That’s why we recommend using an Amazon review checker such as FeedbackFive to identify any patterns that may be cause for concern.

Here’s what to look for:

Fake review networks exist to generate both positive and negative reviews. Some black hat sellers have actually targeted their competitors with suspicious positive reviews or helpful votes in the hopes that Amazon would suspend the competitor accounts.

What should you do if you start to suspect fake reviews on your listings? You can report fraudulent reviews to Amazon or try contacting Amazon Seller Performance. In some cases, you may need to call in an expert to resolve the issue.

Amazon One-Tap Ratings

As you monitor your reviews, you may notice that some are simply star ratings without text. Amazon introduced one-tap ratings in 2019. This feature allows buyers to leave reviews with the mere click of a button, no text required. The shopper simply clicks on their preferred review star rating, from one star to five stars. This is only available for Amazon verified purchases.

While this increases the chances that sellers will receive reviews, it doesn’t provide much context for the seller. Here's an example of how a one-tap review appears on a product listing:

If a buyer leaves you a one-star review with no comment, it’s unclear why they had a negative experience with your product. Many brands and sellers rely on product reviews to provide information about how their products are being received by consumers and to gather ideas for continuing to improve their offerings.

Ratings contribute to a product's total star rating, but written reviews provide real insight into a product. Potential shoppers benefit from written reviews, and brands and sellers can benefit because keywords within written reviews can boost the product in Amazon's A9 search algorithm.

Liz Fickenscher
Industry Expert

The one-tap system certainly makes it easy for busy buyers to leave ratings. The feature was introduced as part of an effort to curb fake reviews. It may not completely eradicate false ratings, but it might just encourage customers to provide a rating for your product.

Use an Automated Amazon Review Checker

Monitoring your Amazon reviews can quickly become a tedious task, particularly if you have hundreds of product listings. You can save time by using an automated Amazon review checker to track your ASINs.

All FeedbackFive plans allow you to monitor at least two ASINs for free, with additional ASIN tracking available. Identify trends in your product reviews thanks to robust reports. Best of all, you can sign up to receive SMS or email alerts to let you know when you receive a negative rating. Positive reviews are great, but responding to a negative review in a timely manner may help mitigate the situation for the buyer.

While you cannot ever ask a buyer to change or remove a review on Amazon, you can do your best to provide a positive customer experience. Don’t do so with the expectation that the buyer will provide an updated review—just be pleasantly surprised if it happens!

Managing Negative Reviews

Most of your reviews should be fairly positive, but it’s normal to have the occasional negative review. Getting a lot of negative reviews is a red flag signifying a major issue. That could be anything from an underwhelming product to fraudulent reviews, so the action you take will be determined by the problem. Read your reviews carefully to establish patterns.

You can also drill down to the ASIN-level in FeedbackFive to see ratings for your product over time. This can help you quickly understand if there is a new issue (perhaps a commingled inventory mix up?) or if your product simply isn’t meeting customer expectations. If the product is falling short, you may need to speak with your supplier or revisit your listing materials to ensure that you aren’t overpromising and underdelivering. (Always strive to do the opposite!)

You cannot contact a buyer to offer a replacement/refund or ask for more information about the poor product experience unless you are enrolled in Amazon's Brand Registry. A feature released in June 2021 allows brand registered sellers to send templated emails to buyers who leave 1-3 star reviews. The messages are sent with Buyer-Seller Messaging and cannot be edited.

If the buyer chooses to contact you, they can explain the issue by selecting the “Returns and Refunds Policy” from the dropdown menu.

Then, the buyer has the option to write up to 4,000 characters detailing the problem. They can also attach an image of the product.

In the event that a seller contacts you, remember to respond quickly and professionally. Response time is considered in your seller health metrics. Responding within a reasonable time frame is also just good business!