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Everything You Should Know About Product Reviews (2023)

by Amelia Pahm
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Product Reviews 101: Why It Matter and How to Get More for Your Business - OneCommerce

Did you know that up to 88% of customers decide to purchase based on product reviews? (based on a report by Vendasta)

In today’s digital age, where online shopping has become the norm, potential buyers heavily rely on the experiences and opinions of others before making a purchase decision.

Therefore, product reviews have become a powerful tool that influences the success of businesses.

From building trust and credibility to aiding in informed decision-making, we will unravel the merits of reviews on both consumers and sellers.

Let’s start!

💡 Recommended reading:

What Are Product Reviews?

Product reviews are customers’ feedback or assessment regarding products they have purchased or used.

These reviews can be about various aspects of the product, such as quality, performance, features, user experience, and customer service.

There is a wide variety of product reviews, ranging from text-based to photo/video reviews.

The common structure of product reviews contains a rating (often represented by stars) and a comment.

customer review examples

Product review examples

The Importance Of Product Reviews

Let’s take a look at 5 compelling reasons that highlight the significance of product reviews:

1. Increase Sales Rate

When customers see that others have had positive experiences with a product, they feel more confident in making a purchase.

💡 According to a report by Power Reviews120.3% conversion lifts when visitors interact with reviews.

Additionally, user-generated content (UGC) like reviews can improve search engine rankings, making the product more visible to potential customers.

By differentiating a product from its competitors, positive reviews can be the tipping point for potential buyers.

2. Build Trust and Credibility

Positive product reviews create a sense of credibility, as they validate the claims made by the store about its products.

Customers tend to trust the opinions and experiences of fellow shoppers, making them more likely to consider and purchase the items with positive reviews.

Furthermore, the shopping experience in Shopify will have a chance to enhance authenticity and transparency.

3. Enhance Customer Engagement

Customers are more likely to spend more time on a website that hosts engaging product reviews. They find value in learning from the experiences of others and appreciate the transparency that reviews offer.

The interactive nature of product reviews enriches the customer experience. It’s like being part of an ongoing conversation where customers play an active role in shaping the perception of products and brands.

💡 In fact, based on Bazaarvoice’s research, 70% of shoppers often or always check out available product reviews, and 60% of customers often or always take a look at customer photos.

4. Minimize The Rate Of Return

By having a clearer picture of what to expect, customers are less likely to experience disappointment upon receiving the product, reducing the chances of initiating a return.

💡 According to Retail Customer Experience, the more reviews a product gets, the better. A product with 50 reviews has a 135% lower return rate than products with fewer than five reviews.

Reviews serve as a form of pre-purchase assurance, helping customers align their expectations with the actual product they will receive.

5. Act As Social Proof

As you delve into those reviews, you uncover real-life stories from customers just like you – their experiences, thoughts, and honest opinions.

Each review is social proof of a world of happy customers, all raving about the product you’re considering. Those reviews act as trusted companions on their shopping journey.

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How To Ask Customers To Leave A Product Review On Your Store?

Asking for reviews from customers can be a great way to gather valuable feedback and build social proof for your business. Here are some top suggestions for effectively asking for reviews and letting customers leave one:

1. Make The Process Simple

Regardless of the approach you take for your store, ensure that it is concise and to the point. Customers have limited time, so it’s best to focus on the most important inquiries.

  • Use a star ratings system for reviews
  • Pre-fill certain fields, such as product name and customer details
  • Shopify has a built-in product reviews feature that you can activate in your store settings. This eliminates the need to install additional apps, simplifying the process.

2. Enable Live Chat

A significant number of potential customers and current customers opt for live chat to seek information or resolve issues before buying or requesting a refund.

By incorporating a concise survey question at the end of these live chats, you can gauge their satisfaction levels. 

Remember to keep the survey questions brief improves the likelihood of respondents completing the entire survey.

3. Display Product Review On Your Storefront

With the reviews feature available, customers can easily navigate to the review section and leave their thoughts without any hassle.

Moreover, customers tend to feel more encouraged to provide feedback when they see that other shoppers have already shared their experiences.

A visible display of existing reviews acts as social proof, reinforcing the value of their contributions.

How To Add Product Reviews On Shopify? 

A quick search on the Shopify App Store using the keyword “reviews” will appear almost 900 results. Such an astonishing number, right?

Therefore, sometimes, discovering an effective method to gather and showcase your product reviews may appear more difficult than you first imagined.

Especially if this is your first time using Shopify product reviews. No worries, we have it all handled!

Ali Reviews, a well-known product review solution accessible on the Shopify App Store, offers advanced functionalities for managing & collecting product reviews on Shopify stores. Apart from that, Ali Reviews also offer rich customization options to make your review widget completely blend in with your store’s branding. 

Here are some notable features of Ali Reviews: 

  • Easily collect reviews, photos, and videos in-store; and via automatic email/SMS review requests with pre-made templates
  • Bulk import from multiple sources, such as AliExpress, DSers & Ali Orders in one-click
  • Display stunning and customizable review widgets on high-converting pages (Home, Product, or Cart pages)
  • Encourage customers to leave reviews by offering an incentive program and sending follow-up emails
  • Show star ratings on Google Shopping Ads, review rich snippets & share reviews on social media channels to boost traffic and sale

Now we’ll walk you through all the steps you need to take to use Ali Reviews to add product reviews to your Shopify store.

1. How To Import Product Reviews From AliExpress using Ali Reviews

To kickstart, you’ll need to install Ali Reviews Extension for a smooth import process. 

Step 1: Add the Ali Reviews extension to Chrome.

Step 2: Reload the Shopify store page after finishing adding the extension.

Install Ali Reviews extension for a smooth product reviews import process

Install Ali Reviews extension

With this Chrome extension, you can effortlessly and efficiently import AliExpress reviews in bulk from AliExpress and dropshipping apps like DSers, Spreadr, Importify, and Dropified.

Next, follow these steps to complete the import reviews process:

Step 1: Click on the Import Reviews button

On the app menu, click on Import Reviews and choose the AliExpress tab. An orange button Import Reviews will appear right after.

Choose the Import Reviews button

Choose the Import Reviews button

Step 2: Copy the Product URL

Copy the Product URL from AliExpress and paste it into Ali Reviews. 

Submit the products' URL

Submit the products’ URL

Step 3: Adjust Product Settings

Locate the “Customize setting for this product” option and remember to check it!

Customize product reviews settings

Customize product reviews settings

There are several highlights you can do to make your review page more legible:

  • Import reviews in date range: Specify the date range for importing AliExpress reviews.
  • Review quantity per import: Set a specific limit for the number of reviews imported in one go for each Ali Reviews plan.
  • Publish imported reviews: Update your store’s latest reviews.

When scrolling down, you will see more features:

Change content and product reviews settings

Change content and product reviews settings

  • Content moderation: You have the option to replace reviewer names containing “AliExpress Shopper” with ***. Additionally, Ali Reviews automatically filters out certain keywords to enhance the quality of your product review.
  • Translate reviews and Reviews location: Translate reviews from different languages into English and target foreign customers.
💡 Ali Reviews is also capable of importing product reviews from multiple sources, including Amazon, Dser, Ali Orders, and CSV files. For more information, visit Ali Reviews Helpdesk.

Step 4: All done

After setting up all of these steps above, you can click on the orange button Import reviews again. That’s it! You’ve successfully imported product reviews with Ali Reviews.

031122 Ali Reviews CTA Block

Boost Product reviews with Ali Reviews

Build trust and drive strong social proof for your Shopify store! Try Ali Reviews Free

2. How to collect product reviews with email using Ali Reviews

Needless to say, you want your customers to leave you a review after they have made a purchase from your store to see what they think about your products. Luckily, Ali Reviews can help with setting up automated review request via email for its users.

Step 1: Set up an Email Review Request

On the app menu, navigate to the Collect Reviews tab. Click the Auto Request drop-down menu > Email Review Request.

Access Email Review Request to start collect product reviews

Access Email Review Request to start collect product reviews

In this dashboard, you can configure:

  • Email schedule: set up a schedule for your request email to be sent after order fulfillment.
  • Order of products: choose how your products will be presented in the email.
  • Reminder email: remind customers to leave a review in case no review was left after the first email.

Step 2: Customize the Email Template

At the Auto Request drop-down menu, select Email Template > Customize to start customizing your email product review request.

Customize email request templates

Customize email request templates

In the email customize screen, you can change the elements to your liking:

  • Pick pre-made templates suggested by Ali Reviews, including Basic, Cover banner, Standard, and Modern.
  • Design your email’s elements to ensure it matches your brand guidelines.
  • Submit the content, and make sure you fulfill the email topic, subject, main content, and product review request content.
Configure the email request elements

Configure the email request elements

Lastly, complete the process by clicking on the Save button in the top right corner of your screen.

Step 3: Launch the campaign

After you’ve finished setting up everything, remember to enable the Auto Schedule Requests button (in the Email Review Request section).

This will allow Ali Reviews to automatically send post-purchase emails to request product reviews

Enable Auto schedule requests after completing the set up

Voila! Within a few simple steps, you’ve successfully set up an auto email campaign to boost your product reviews!

FAQs

1. How can I get more product reviews on Shopify?

Using automated review request emails is the top choice of Shopify sellers. 

The emails sent to the customers after they make a purchase may remind them to share their experiences and provide feedback on the products they bought. 

You can refer to some apps such as Flowio or Growave.

💡 Want to learn more about email marketing?

Check out our article: Shopify Email Marketing: Strategies to Skyrocket Your Sales!

2. What is the primary advantage of including visuals in my Shopify reviews?

Visuals in reviews provide tangible evidence of customers’ experiences with the products, making the reviews more convincing and trustworthy. 

Potential customers can assess the product’s quality and be more inclined to make a purchase. 

3. Can I receive notifications when there are reviews for my Shopify store?

Absolutely! 

Shopify provides you with the option to receive notifications whenever there are new reviews for your store. These notifications can be sent to your preferred email address, ensuring you stay up-to-date with customer feedback in real time. 

This feature allows you to monitor and respond to reviews promptly, engage with your customers, and gain valuable insights into their experiences. 

Final Words

By embracing and leveraging the value of product reviews, eCommerce businesses can foster a more informed, confident, and satisfying shopping experience for their customers.

So, whether you are a seller seeking growth or building a better CRM system, recognizing and harnessing the power of product reviews is a crucial step towards success in the dynamic world of eCommerce.

Don’t forget to check out more articles on OneCommerce Blog for more useful tips and tricks!

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