3 Tips to Get Feedback on FBA Orders

Is it possible to get feedback on FBA orders?

You bet it is. Although Amazon handles the fulfillment process, sellers can certainly still qualify for feedback.

In this post, we'll share three tips to get feedback on FBA orders.

Make Sure You're Soliciting

New sellers sometimes mistakenly assume that they cannot receive feedback for FBA-fulfilled orders. However, buyers can leave feedback for sellers on orders that are fulfilled by Amazon as well as for merchant-fulfilled orders. Given Amazon's best-in-class supply chain and its millions of satisfied Prime members, FBA orders can serve as an unbelievable opportunity to increase your seller reputation. Remember, customer feedback summarizes the buyer's overall experience, relating to:

• Shipping
• Packaging
• Customer service
• Communication
• Dispute resolution

By participating in the FBA program, Amazon (in nearly every situation) helps the average seller achieve faster shipping and more professional packaging. From the seller's perspective, most feedback-related activities only occur if something goes wrong (for example, a return request). It therefore stands to reason that if the customer says nothing, there's a good chance he is completely satisfied.

For these reasons, many experienced sellers actively solicit for feedback on FBA orders. The upside is obvious, and, in most cases, there's less downside than soliciting for merchant-fulfilled orders.

Consider FBA-Specific Campaigns

As you begin to solicit, you may realize that FBA orders require a slightly different approach than orders fulfilled by you.

Put yourself in the shoes of a typical customer in an FBA-fulfilled transaction. Upon recognizing a need, he pulls out his smartphone and familiarizes himself with the best product choice. He clicks the Buy Box button, confirms his order and goes back to what he was doing. Two days later, the item arrives like clockwork. Little does the customer know that he actually purchased an item from your inventory. You, being the intelligent entrepreneur that you are, decided to let Amazon fulfill the order. Doing so provided the most convenient buying experience possible.

In this situation, the buyer has had no direct interaction with you or your Amazon store's name. He could therefore be somewhat surprised to receive an email from you, especially if it lacks context. To avoid confusion, it may be wise to craft a targeted message that provides a brief explanation of your role in the Amazon fulfillment model - and your desire to ensure things went smoothly.

Once you've crafted the right message, try testing different email delivery times. Keep in mind that a buyer has 90 days to leave feedback for an order. Some merchants try to pinpoint when a product is delivered and solicit as close to that time as possible. Others prefer to wait a few days, giving the customer more time to confirm his or her satisfaction.

FeedbackFive (14-day free trial) allows you to build FBA-specific email campaigns, containing your preferred messaging and timing. You can even send your message based on the delivery date (just be sure to abide by the rules when doing so).

Pay Attention to What You "Get"

There's one additional insurance policy associated with soliciting FBA orders. If the customer is unsatisfied with fulfillment (or any other services provided by Amazon), the feedback can be struck through by Amazon.

Stated differently, in the unlikely event that something goes wrong, there's a decent chance that it's Amazon's fault and not yours. This magnifies the value of your FBA solicitation process, but it also increases the importance of tracking changes in your feedback score.

If you prefer manual feedback tracking, be sure to monitor your ratings often. Some sellers bookmark the Amazon Feedback Manager section in their Seller Central dashboards and check it multiple times a day. Given your order volume, you may receive dozens of new ratings daily. Over the course of a few weeks or months, you could find yourself spending hours looking for new feedbacks.

As an alternative, you could use FeedbackFive, which automatically alerts you of new negative or neutral feedback. Opt in to receive texts and/or emails that keep you in the loop with less effort. If an issue is your fault, take swift steps to resolve the customer's concerns before asking for a removal. If, however, you believe Amazon is at fault, you can ask Amazon to remove the negative feedback.

Get Feedback on FBA Orders

FBA orders can be an excellent source of positive feedback for your business. Start soliciting today, refine your messaging, test different timing rules, and implement strategies for tracking results. In doing so, you may notice a positive lift in your overall seller reputation.