Customer Review Policy
I have read and re-read the Amazon review policy (posted below just in case) since I am a new seller and worry about committing violations. The policy really only mentions family and people who work for your company, and it also discusses compensations in various forms. My question is, what about friends and acquaintances posting reviews and getting no compensation in any form or told to only post positive reviews? As long as we do not offer compensation in any form to these friends and acquaintances who are interested in buying our products, and we do not tell them to only post 4-5 star reviews, no policy violation, right?
"Violations to Customer Reviews policies include, but are not limited to, these actions:
- A seller posts a review of their own product or their competitor’s product.
- A seller offers a third party a financial reward, discount, free products, or other compensation in exchange for a review on their product or their competitor’s product. This includes using services that sell customer reviews, websites, or social media groups.
- A seller offers to provide a refund or reimbursement after the buyer writes a review (including reimbursement via a non-Amazon payment method), and asks the buyer to change or remove the review, before or after the refund or reimbursement. This could be done via buyer-seller messaging on Amazon or directly contacting customers or using 3rd party services, websites, or social media groups.
- A seller uses a third-party service that offers free or discounted products tied to a review (for example, a review club that requires customers to register their Amazon public profile so that sellers can monitor their reviews).
- A family member or employee of the seller posts a review of the seller’s product or a competitor’s product.
- A seller asks a reviewer to change or remove their review. They might also offer a refund or other compensation to a reviewer in exchange for doing so.
- A seller diverts negative reviews to be sent to them or to a different feedback mechanism while positive reviews are sent to Amazon.
- A seller creates a variation relationship between products with the aim of manipulating reviews and boosting a product’s star rating via review aggregation.
- A seller inserts a request for a positive Amazon review or an incentive in exchange for a review into product packaging or shipping box.
- A seller uses a customer account to write or change a review on his or his competitor’s product."
5 replies
Seller_nkBcHPWfscgWg
Teeeeeechnically no, but Amazon tends to pain with a pretty thick brush when it comes to review or sales manipulation and I wouldn’t risk it.
Seller_T5Mv3ZCUSh7Zl
Do what you want, but first consider this story.
Xeno_Amazon
Hello @Journey_Spice_Co,
This is Xeno from Amazon to help you with your concerns.
We understand the concern about the Amazon Customer Reviews Policy. Let’s work together in finding the solution.
I really appreciate you for the information that you have provided, which has made things easy to understand.
In regards with the question you had, any kind of deviation from the policy which also includes getting in touch with you friends and family members in order to gain any kind of false reviews being posted on your Product Reviews would be considered as a violation which is not compliant with Amazon policies and guidelines, in case if there are these kind of practices being followed we would request to refrain from it.
In case if there are any other queries regarding this, please help us with the information and we would be able to help you further in this case.
Thank you for your post. I hope my response is beneficial towards your business.
Regards,
Xeno.
Seller_oEw5wUNHgJxxP
Good to see an Amazonian state this clearly and simply.
To the OP, after many years on the forum, we have learned that the Amazon Bots 
are very good at picking up the gaming of the review system. At least when it comes to the percentage of product reviews as compared to the norm. Also think facebook, how do they know what the person I am near is interested in XYZ product. Amazon knows this stuff too, they connect the dots with ease.
Now they have a long way to go on out of the gate fake reviews, so obvious when they are mostly ones with images. We get possibly one with an image for every 200 sales of a product.
They also are working on gaming the system by offshore sellers that change the brand name and then steal the reviews associated with the original listing.
But simple stuff like “friends and acquaintances” trying to help will only cause heartache. They know how to spot that.
Customer Review Policy
I have read and re-read the Amazon review policy (posted below just in case) since I am a new seller and worry about committing violations. The policy really only mentions family and people who work for your company, and it also discusses compensations in various forms. My question is, what about friends and acquaintances posting reviews and getting no compensation in any form or told to only post positive reviews? As long as we do not offer compensation in any form to these friends and acquaintances who are interested in buying our products, and we do not tell them to only post 4-5 star reviews, no policy violation, right?
"Violations to Customer Reviews policies include, but are not limited to, these actions:
- A seller posts a review of their own product or their competitor’s product.
- A seller offers a third party a financial reward, discount, free products, or other compensation in exchange for a review on their product or their competitor’s product. This includes using services that sell customer reviews, websites, or social media groups.
- A seller offers to provide a refund or reimbursement after the buyer writes a review (including reimbursement via a non-Amazon payment method), and asks the buyer to change or remove the review, before or after the refund or reimbursement. This could be done via buyer-seller messaging on Amazon or directly contacting customers or using 3rd party services, websites, or social media groups.
- A seller uses a third-party service that offers free or discounted products tied to a review (for example, a review club that requires customers to register their Amazon public profile so that sellers can monitor their reviews).
- A family member or employee of the seller posts a review of the seller’s product or a competitor’s product.
- A seller asks a reviewer to change or remove their review. They might also offer a refund or other compensation to a reviewer in exchange for doing so.
- A seller diverts negative reviews to be sent to them or to a different feedback mechanism while positive reviews are sent to Amazon.
- A seller creates a variation relationship between products with the aim of manipulating reviews and boosting a product’s star rating via review aggregation.
- A seller inserts a request for a positive Amazon review or an incentive in exchange for a review into product packaging or shipping box.
- A seller uses a customer account to write or change a review on his or his competitor’s product."
Customer Review Policy
I have read and re-read the Amazon review policy (posted below just in case) since I am a new seller and worry about committing violations. The policy really only mentions family and people who work for your company, and it also discusses compensations in various forms. My question is, what about friends and acquaintances posting reviews and getting no compensation in any form or told to only post positive reviews? As long as we do not offer compensation in any form to these friends and acquaintances who are interested in buying our products, and we do not tell them to only post 4-5 star reviews, no policy violation, right?
"Violations to Customer Reviews policies include, but are not limited to, these actions:
- A seller posts a review of their own product or their competitor’s product.
- A seller offers a third party a financial reward, discount, free products, or other compensation in exchange for a review on their product or their competitor’s product. This includes using services that sell customer reviews, websites, or social media groups.
- A seller offers to provide a refund or reimbursement after the buyer writes a review (including reimbursement via a non-Amazon payment method), and asks the buyer to change or remove the review, before or after the refund or reimbursement. This could be done via buyer-seller messaging on Amazon or directly contacting customers or using 3rd party services, websites, or social media groups.
- A seller uses a third-party service that offers free or discounted products tied to a review (for example, a review club that requires customers to register their Amazon public profile so that sellers can monitor their reviews).
- A family member or employee of the seller posts a review of the seller’s product or a competitor’s product.
- A seller asks a reviewer to change or remove their review. They might also offer a refund or other compensation to a reviewer in exchange for doing so.
- A seller diverts negative reviews to be sent to them or to a different feedback mechanism while positive reviews are sent to Amazon.
- A seller creates a variation relationship between products with the aim of manipulating reviews and boosting a product’s star rating via review aggregation.
- A seller inserts a request for a positive Amazon review or an incentive in exchange for a review into product packaging or shipping box.
- A seller uses a customer account to write or change a review on his or his competitor’s product."
5 replies
5 replies
Seller_nkBcHPWfscgWg
Teeeeeechnically no, but Amazon tends to pain with a pretty thick brush when it comes to review or sales manipulation and I wouldn’t risk it.
Seller_T5Mv3ZCUSh7Zl
Do what you want, but first consider this story.
Xeno_Amazon
Hello @Journey_Spice_Co,
This is Xeno from Amazon to help you with your concerns.
We understand the concern about the Amazon Customer Reviews Policy. Let’s work together in finding the solution.
I really appreciate you for the information that you have provided, which has made things easy to understand.
In regards with the question you had, any kind of deviation from the policy which also includes getting in touch with you friends and family members in order to gain any kind of false reviews being posted on your Product Reviews would be considered as a violation which is not compliant with Amazon policies and guidelines, in case if there are these kind of practices being followed we would request to refrain from it.
In case if there are any other queries regarding this, please help us with the information and we would be able to help you further in this case.
Thank you for your post. I hope my response is beneficial towards your business.
Regards,
Xeno.
Seller_oEw5wUNHgJxxP
Good to see an Amazonian state this clearly and simply.
To the OP, after many years on the forum, we have learned that the Amazon Bots are very good at picking up the gaming of the review system. At least when it comes to the percentage of product reviews as compared to the norm. Also think facebook, how do they know what the person I am near is interested in XYZ product. Amazon knows this stuff too, they connect the dots with ease.
Now they have a long way to go on out of the gate fake reviews, so obvious when they are mostly ones with images. We get possibly one with an image for every 200 sales of a product.
They also are working on gaming the system by offshore sellers that change the brand name and then steal the reviews associated with the original listing.
But simple stuff like “friends and acquaintances” trying to help will only cause heartache. They know how to spot that.
Seller_nkBcHPWfscgWg
Teeeeeechnically no, but Amazon tends to pain with a pretty thick brush when it comes to review or sales manipulation and I wouldn’t risk it.
Seller_nkBcHPWfscgWg
Teeeeeechnically no, but Amazon tends to pain with a pretty thick brush when it comes to review or sales manipulation and I wouldn’t risk it.
Seller_T5Mv3ZCUSh7Zl
Do what you want, but first consider this story.
Seller_T5Mv3ZCUSh7Zl
Do what you want, but first consider this story.
Xeno_Amazon
Hello @Journey_Spice_Co,
This is Xeno from Amazon to help you with your concerns.
We understand the concern about the Amazon Customer Reviews Policy. Let’s work together in finding the solution.
I really appreciate you for the information that you have provided, which has made things easy to understand.
In regards with the question you had, any kind of deviation from the policy which also includes getting in touch with you friends and family members in order to gain any kind of false reviews being posted on your Product Reviews would be considered as a violation which is not compliant with Amazon policies and guidelines, in case if there are these kind of practices being followed we would request to refrain from it.
In case if there are any other queries regarding this, please help us with the information and we would be able to help you further in this case.
Thank you for your post. I hope my response is beneficial towards your business.
Regards,
Xeno.
Xeno_Amazon
Hello @Journey_Spice_Co,
This is Xeno from Amazon to help you with your concerns.
We understand the concern about the Amazon Customer Reviews Policy. Let’s work together in finding the solution.
I really appreciate you for the information that you have provided, which has made things easy to understand.
In regards with the question you had, any kind of deviation from the policy which also includes getting in touch with you friends and family members in order to gain any kind of false reviews being posted on your Product Reviews would be considered as a violation which is not compliant with Amazon policies and guidelines, in case if there are these kind of practices being followed we would request to refrain from it.
In case if there are any other queries regarding this, please help us with the information and we would be able to help you further in this case.
Thank you for your post. I hope my response is beneficial towards your business.
Regards,
Xeno.
Seller_oEw5wUNHgJxxP
Good to see an Amazonian state this clearly and simply.
To the OP, after many years on the forum, we have learned that the Amazon Bots are very good at picking up the gaming of the review system. At least when it comes to the percentage of product reviews as compared to the norm. Also think facebook, how do they know what the person I am near is interested in XYZ product. Amazon knows this stuff too, they connect the dots with ease.
Now they have a long way to go on out of the gate fake reviews, so obvious when they are mostly ones with images. We get possibly one with an image for every 200 sales of a product.
They also are working on gaming the system by offshore sellers that change the brand name and then steal the reviews associated with the original listing.
But simple stuff like “friends and acquaintances” trying to help will only cause heartache. They know how to spot that.
Seller_oEw5wUNHgJxxP
Good to see an Amazonian state this clearly and simply.
To the OP, after many years on the forum, we have learned that the Amazon Bots are very good at picking up the gaming of the review system. At least when it comes to the percentage of product reviews as compared to the norm. Also think facebook, how do they know what the person I am near is interested in XYZ product. Amazon knows this stuff too, they connect the dots with ease.
Now they have a long way to go on out of the gate fake reviews, so obvious when they are mostly ones with images. We get possibly one with an image for every 200 sales of a product.
They also are working on gaming the system by offshore sellers that change the brand name and then steal the reviews associated with the original listing.
But simple stuff like “friends and acquaintances” trying to help will only cause heartache. They know how to spot that.
