In our last post, we talked about product images and the importance of optimizing them. But that’s not all that should be optimized. The product page itself can be more than a step before a shopping cart.

Product reviews should be more prominent on your website than being buried on your footer or testimonials page. When it comes to your e-commerce, you can sprinkle reviews on product pages as well as their coordinating blog posts. But first, you need a review.

Don’t Depend On Kindness Alone

We feel your pain. Reviews are tough. It’s really hard for us to ask. And when we do they are still tough to get; anyone who has tried will tell you the same. Unless, of course, your product or service gives bad experience. Then you wish reviews were harder. Am I right?

We like to depend upon the goodness of people’s heart. But the goodness of peoples’ hearts doesn’t always fit into their schedule. They may want to give you a positive review but they have other tasks that they have to prioritize.

So how do you ask without being slimy and feeling gross?

Asking for Product Reviews Isn’t Gross

Asking for product reviews doesn’t have to feel gross. If you make it a normal part of a conversation or a normal part of your customer follow up, it can be a good experience for both of you.

Many Amazon retailers encourage their customers to leave an online review by filling out a form afterward. I recently saw those with the shower curtain that I bought. If I submitted a positive review and filled out the form, they would email me a $5 Amazon e-card.

Many third-party review sites like discourage asking for product reviews in exchange for a money. Some discourage asking at all. But with your WooCommerce store, you can easily incorporate reviews even if it isn’t a third-party site.

You won’t know unless you ask, right?

When is a Good Time to Ask?

You shouldn’t ask for a review the second they download the product. They haven’t used it yet. Perhaps a set time is triggered in your CRM after the product has been delivered. It really depends upon the product and how soon you start to get complaints. Yes, this is a good indicator. Average that time and approach your customer before they complain.

Ensure they are using it correctly with an email drip campaign. There are so many ways to go about this.

But you still have to ask.

Social Media Is Full of Product Reviews

A lot of people love the products they purchase and post about them online. Yes, I’m talking about social media. If you’re not participating and listening, you won’t see when they mention your brand and, sadly, they won’t be able to tag you.

Using social media to listen and cultivate a group of loyal customers is important. And these are also the right people to ask for a more thorough review.

Include their social media posts on your product page or in your blog posts. You can also quote them and link to their social media post, if you don’t like the way oEmbed supports the link.

If you have a program to reward your loyal customers, a nice sticker pack or some insider-only swag would help encourage them to leave a review. It doesn’t always have to be a gift card for a cash value.

Positive Reinforcement Works best When Randomized

Offer your customers rewards at random intervals. When it comes to a behavioristic approach, positive rewards given at random is a better way to encourage a desired behavior. In this case, submitting online reviews. Since the customer cannot predict the timing of the reward, they don’t expect it. Your small token of appreciation comes as a surprise and feels special.

Zappos is successful at rewarding customers and incorporated it into their company culture. They will randomly reward one of their customers with something from their wish list or more. Tony Hsieh, the former CEO, talks about this strategy at length in his book “Delivering Happiness.” That business model works. In the article cited below, the author refers to this program as well.

“Include a free product in their order. This could be a supplementary or complementary product that they’d love to use together with the product they ordered.”

CM Commerce

There’s even a free coupon extension for WooCommerce that you could incorporate as well.

Ask And You Shall Receive Product Reviews

Asking for reviews doesn’t guarantee that they will all submit a review. In many ways it’s like sales; you asked 10, you get one. You ask 100, you get seven. You ask 200, you get 25. It’s a small percentage, true. Every reviews helps your future customers choose your product.

Your Community and eCommerce

Your community wants your products. The products bring people to your site and the community keeps them there. With PeepSo’s EDD and WooCommerce extensions, you can have the best of both worlds — eCommerce and Community.