How to Write an Effective Amazon Feedback Request Letter

Soliciting Amazon feedback from your buyers can cause a noticeable uptick in your seller rating. This is only true, however, if you play by the rules and ask the right way.

In this post, we'll discuss tips for writing an effective Amazon feedback request letter.

Know Amazon's Rules

Let's start with a simple fact: Amazon.com, Inc. ("Amazon") allows - and even encourages - sellers to solicit feedback from buyers. Some merchants are hesitant to request feedback, fearing that they might get into trouble with Amazon. On the contrary - as pointed out here, Amazon clearly states that "you may request feedback from a buyer."

Granted, there are are several guidelines to comply with when doing so. For example, you may not:

• Offer any incentive to a buyer for providing feedback
• Offer to pay a buyer in exchange for feedback
• Pressure the customer to leave feedback
• Do anything that attempts to manipulate Amazon's rating system

Feedback solicitation can be done one of two ways: via the packing slip or electronic message. Although packing slip messaging can be somewhat effective, most sellers prefer to solicit electronically. (Let's be honest - customers rarely look at your packing slips.) To send email solicitations via your Seller Central account, you'll need to click on each individual order and use the "Contact Buyer" link. Amazon recommends selecting the "Feedback Request" subject line.

Alternatively, you could automate the entire feedback solicitation process by using a tool like FeedbackFive (it only takes 9 minutes to set up an account). We've helped sellers successfully solicit more than 45 million feedbacks since 2009.

Customize Your Solicitation Sequence

Merchants often ask us for feedback solicitation templates that they can use. (We've developed a few examples, which are available for download here.) Such templates can serve as a useful starting point, but a one-size-fits-all approach might cause you to miss out on customer feedback. After all, you know your customers better than anyone else. It's important that you apply this knowledge to create a winning messaging and engagement sequence.

To develop an effective approach to solicitation, try asking yourself these questions:

• Are some of my products more strategic than others?
• For my strategic items, should I consider merging in or attaching product-specific information (such as product images or help guides)?
• Should some SKUs be excluded from solicitation?
• Would personalizing the greeting ("Dear John...") enhance the connection with my customers?
• In what circumstances should I send a second feedback request?
• Does it makes sense to also ask for a product review?
• How will I track if my efforts are actually working?

By thinking through such questions, you'll be one step closer to an effective Amazon feedback request letter.

In addition, by leveraging FeedbackFive, you can build logic-based rules for how and when your emails go out. You can automatically pull in order and customer-specific data into your outgoing emails (such as name, order number and feedback links).

You can even build SKU-specific rules, ensuring that certain products receive the extra attention they deserve (or no solicitation at all).

Test What is Working

At the end of the day, a feedback request email is only effective if it produces results.

When it comes to Amazon feedback solicitation, a 1% or 2% improvement in your feedback score can make a significant impact. In fact, as our friend Phil Grier from Aabaco Small Business pointed out, "Amazon also looks closely at product feedback, and with 98% or more positive feedback, they consider you to be satisfying their customers. Anything less than 98% will reduce your visibility. In addition to satisfaction percentage, the quantity of feedback, or how many reviews you have, is also a major indicator of product quality and customer satisfaction in Amazon’s eyes." Simply stated, in the context of feedback solicitation, it's important that merchants continuously test and refine their messaging campaigns to maximize buyer engagement.

With FeedbackFive, it's easy to see what's working - or what's not working. Simply pop open your analytic page to view open rates and feedback received.

Savvy sellers use this data to adjust their campaign settings, modify their calls-to-action and increase feedback conversions.

Build Better Feedback Emails

Ready to engage your buyers through more effective feedback requests? Sign up for a free FeedbackFive account and let our tool do the hard work for you. In doing so, you'll free up more time to craft the perfect message.