You’re becoming a successful entrepreneur. You’ve just started an Amazon account and you’re ready to start selling. Then one day you find a few negative reviews on your page. Knowing customers rely on product reviews for their purchasing decisions, about 55.6% of customers do, you should want to keep your page full of positive reviews. The question is – how?
Among the most common challenges for sellers when trying to remove negative reviews from Amazon is misunderstanding Amazon’s review and community guidelines. These guidelines contain what type of product review you can remove and what you can’t.
In this article, we’ll provide you with a complete guide for removing reviews from Amazon. This includes knowing Amazon’s review removal policy, identifying the type of review to be removed, contacting the customer who posted the review, submitting a request for review to Amazon, monitoring requests and following up as needed, using third-party services to help with removing reviews from Amazon, and taking legal action if necessary.
Learn About Amazon’s Review Removal Policy
Amazon is quite serious about the reviews on its platform. This is why the online retail giant recently updated its review removal policy, allowing sellers to remove not only negative reviews but also those that can be considered irrelevant. Learning about the review guidelines allows you to make an informed decision when engaging with reviews. With that said, it is essential to note that not all negative reviews should be removed.
For example, if customers left a bad review due to a negative experience with customer service or late delivery, their negative feedback should not be removed as it can provide valuable insight for other shoppers.
One can also remove positive reviews if they are not related to the product being sold.
Here is a quick scope of what types of product reviews can or can’t be removed:
Reviews You Can Remove
Amazon reviews that contain irrelevant content; abusive language; or convey a promotional message.
Aside from that, you can also remove reviews that are from the sellers themselves. Those written by people connected with the product or establishment can also be taken down.
You also cannot remove negative reviews that give information about defects or missing pieces and reviews that provide issues with product sellers, since you should report these to Amazon for investigation.
Identify the Review You Want to Remove
According to Bill Gates, “Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning.”. This is true, but when a customer leaves a false review about your product, then it’s time for some action.
Identifying the type of review you want to remove from your Amazon page is vital. This process helps you determine which reviews can be taken down and which need to remain on your page. According to Statista, 40.5% of shoppers choose Amazon because of product reviews and recommendations. With this number in mind, you also identify these quickly to keep your page full of positive reviews.
Evaluate Each Review Individually
Evaluating product reviews individually is an essential step in the product review process. With each review, product owners must identify whether the customer had a negative experience.
By understanding what negative reviews look like on Amazon, product owners can more accurately determine which reviews should be removed and which can stay. This can help reduce negative sentiment and create a better customer experience so that only positive thoughts about the product remain.
For product owners, this individual evaluation of product reviews can also serve as useful feedback for product features and improvements that customers have requested.
Contact the Customer Who Posted the Review
After identifying the type of review you want to remove and have evaluated each one, the next step is contacting the customer who posted the review. This is a crucial step in removing unwarranted and negative reviews on your Amazon page since it allows you to resolve any issues with customers.
By contacting the customer, you can ask them to edit or remove their negative feedback and explain why. When doing so, there are a few guidelines to ensure that all concerns are addressed without causing new issues.
Here are a few of the guidelines:
Contact the Customer Respectfully
When contacting customers, it’s important to remain respectful and polite. You should provide an explanation for why you believe the negative review is unwarranted or inappropriate.
By doing this, you can ensure that all customer concerns are addressed in a timely manner. If that same customer is willing to edit or remove their review, make sure to thank them for taking the time to do so.
Provide an Explanation for Why You Believe the Review is Unwarranted or Inappropriate
Through these services, customers have direct access to the seller which allows for a more informed buying experience. Not using this communication service can lead to a negative review, as reviews are often written during periods of high emotion.
To have fair reviews on Amazon, buyers should make use of available resources so that a product review accurately reflects their experiences with it.
Address Any Issues Customers Have Had with Your Products or Services
Addressing any issues regarding your products or services is vital. This allows product owners to make sure that their products and services meet customers’ expectations and also lets you have one more positive review on your page.
As Amazon’s founder once said, “We see our customers as invited guests to a party, and we are the hosts. It’s our job every day to make every important aspect of the customer experience a little bit better.” – Jeff Bezos
Submit a Request for Removal to Amazon
Amazon uses a complex algorithm when determining which reviews are appropriate to remain on its website, so it’s important that you submit a formal request for any reviews you want to be removed.
Aside from that, submitting a request also allows product owners to explain why they believe the review should be removed, enabling Amazon to make a more informed decision.
Here are the steps you can take to submit a request to Amazon:
Collect Necessary Information
Before submitting a request for removal, product owners should collect all the necessary information about the review in question. This includes details such as the name of the customer who posted it, the date and time at which it was posted, and the content of the review.
Create a Formal Request
Once all the necessary information has been collected, product owners should create a formal request for removal. This document should include any evidence they have that suggests why the review should be removed, such as screenshots or other documents.
Submit Your Request to Amazon
After creating your formal request, submit it to Amazon via their customer service page or directly to the review team.
Monitor Your Request and Follow Up
This is another crucial step in the process of removing negative reviews from Amazon. By monitoring and following up on your requests, you can ensure that Amazon is taking appropriate action to remove reviews that do not meet their review removal policy.
Using third-party services to delete negative Amazon reviews is another essential step in the process of eliminating negative feedback related to your products or services.
These services can provide product owners with valuable insights into customer experiences and feedback, as well as provide assistance with monitoring and following up on requests for removal.
Advantages of Using Third-Party Review Removal Services:
Increased visibility into customer feedback and experiences
Improved customer service
Timely resolution to issues before they become a negative review
Assistance with identifying malicious or fraudulent reviews
Ability to take appropriate legal action if necessary
Disadvantages of Using Third-Party Review Removal Services:
Potential for inaccurate or manipulated reviews
Increased cost associated with using third-party services
Time spent vetting and researching third-party services
Take Legal Action if Necessary
Another step in the process of removing reviews from Amazon is taking legal action. This is a crucial part of protecting your product and reputation.
If you have identified a malicious or fraudulent review, it is essential to take the appropriate steps to ensure its removal from your page.
Legal action against malicious or fraudulent reviews can range from filing a civil lawsuit against the customer who posted it, sending a cease and desist letter, or even filing criminal charges in some cases.
Know Your Legal Options
Prior to taking legal action against an Amazon review, it’s important to know the available options. To do so, you can research applicable laws, understand how those laws apply to your situation, and determine what actions you can take to protect yourself and your business.
Review the Terms of Use of Amazon’s Service Agreement
Amazon’s terms of use and service agreement provides a complete overview of what is and is not allowed with regard to reviews. One must review these documents before taking legal action to ensure that you are following all guidelines for the removal of a review.
File a Civil Lawsuit Against the Customer
In some cases, filing a civil lawsuit against the customer who posted the review becomes a necessity for taking it down. The chances of your success in this matter increase if the review caused harm to your product or reputation.
Monitor Your Legal Action
If you take legal action, it’s crucial that you monitor the progress of your case, which ensures that all appropriate steps have been taken. This includes keeping track of any updates or changes to the review. Afterward, you can follow up as needed.
Conclusion
Maintaining a clean page on Amazon is vital to your online entrepreneurial success. When you understand these steps, take the appropriate action to protect yourself and your business on Amazon. By doing so, you can provide an excellent customer buying experience and set yourself apart from your competitors.
Frequently Asked Questions
What common types of reviews need to be removed from Amazon?
You should remove Amazon reviews that are irrelevant to the product, contain abusive language, and convey a promotional message. These are the most common types of reviews that you need to have an eye on.
How do I submit a request for removal to Amazon?
First, you should collect all the necessary information about the review in question. Second, create a formal request for removal, including any evidence they have that suggests why the review should be removed. This includes screenshots or another type of document.
After creating your formal request, submit it to Amazon through their customer service page or to the review team.
What other steps can I take to protect my product and reputation?
Other steps that can be taken to protect your product and reputation include providing excellent customer service, addressing any issues customers may have had with your products or services, using third-party services to help with removing reviews from Amazon, and taking legal action if necessary.
8-figure Amazon seller and serial online entrepreneur since 2015. Research and practice various online business models, and apply his in-depth learnings to further expand and grow his businesses as well as help others to achieve greater successes. Ex-VP of a high tech VC in Vancouver and a Management Consultant with over a decade of experience in the industry. Master's Degree from HEC Paris.
