For sellers looking to grow their business on Amazon, getting reviews for new products can be a difficult challenge when starting. Not many customers will take a risk and purchase a product with minimal reviews, as there is no guarantee of its quality.

Even if a customer purchases the item, it does not guarantee that they will review the product, which can often lead to great products not selling as well as their competitors’ counterparts. This has detrimental effects on Amazon’s SEO positioning for products, in addition to costing sales. However, there is a solution that can help sellers better establish products in the marketplace.

What is the Amazon Early Reviewer Program?

Launched in the UK last year, the Amazon Early Reviewer program was created to help Seller Central accounts get more reviews for products. It works by inquiring customers that have purchased a product and have no history of dishonest or aggressive reviews, to leave a review of the item. Customers who go through the process have the chance of being awarded an Amazon gift card valued between £1-£5.

The structure for the program was created after Amazon prohibited incentivised reviews in 2016, as the only customers who may be encouraged to leave a review have already purchased the product. However, sellers should be aware that the effectiveness of this program will depend on the total number of times that a product is purchased. It is recommended that products accumulate a large enough amount of purchases, as not all customers will provide feedback despite the incentive.

How to Apply

Sellers can enrol specific products into the program if they match the following criteria:

• the product has less than 5 reviews

• the product selling price must be at least £15 or greater

• the product must be brand-registered

The product will then remain in the program for a maximum of 1 year or until 5 reviews from customers are received. Other customers are still able to give customer reviews during this period and will not count as part of the 5 early reviews. Each product enrolment costs £60 plus tax if applicable and covers all the products registered under a Parent SKU. Amazon will only charge sellers once the first review is received.

The program is not currently available for Vendors, as those accounts have access to the Amazon Vine Program. Sellers should be aware that the Early Reviewer Program’s performance is entirely linked to the sales of a product. Ideally, it should be used in combination with other Amazon tools for boosting sales such as deals, PPC and sponsored advertising.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How accurate are the reviews?

As Amazon has stated that only customers who have already purchased the item and have no history with dishonest reviews will be eligible, reviews will tend to be more accurate and authentic regardless of whether they are positive or negative.

2. Can reviews be influenced by sellers?

Sellers can select products that participate in the program but are also prohibited from communicating with any customers regarding reviews. Amazon has stated that it does not modify, remove or alter any of the reviews received as part of the program unless there is a violation of the Community Guidelines.

3. How are reviewers selected?

Customers are selected randomly, ensuring that none have any previous history with dishonest reviews and meet the eligibility criteria. Amazon does not disclose whether a product is participating in the programme, as that may skew the authenticity of a review due to the promise of an incentive. Not all customers will receive a reward for their participation, as Amazon states the goal is to generate more reviews for smarter shopping decision, rather than encouraging more purchases.

For more information about Amazon, the Early Reviewer Program, and the best ways for optimising and scaling your brand on Amazon, get in touch with us for a free consultation.