Reciprocity is an easy concept to understand – it simply states that someone is more likely to behave positively toward something/someone that has behaved positively toward them. Negative reciprocity is the opposite (think “eye for an eye”).
Positive reciprocity is a great concept to use in many aspects of building a brand. For Amazon sellers, this is a key tool for building reviews and brand loyalty. How can we put this into action?
The positive response action that we seek from customers is a positive product review. To obtain this, we need to first act toward them in an equally positive way. In the past, sellers on Amazon would provide free or discounted products to customers in exchange for their reviews. However, this is no longer permitted by Amazon, and customers must now take it upon themselves to post reviews.
It is still permissible to provide free or discounted products to customers and politely ask for reviews, but you cannot require them. This is a good way to obtain initial reviews on a listing, but to obtain verified reviews over the long-term, it’s a better practice to implement other strategies. Here are a few suggestions:
- Follow-up with customers via email and attach a free e-book that provides additional content that is relevant to your product (think recipes, DIY guides, FAQs, etc).
- Provide small branded “freebies” with your product, such as stickers, pens, bandaids, cleaning cloths, etc.
- For products that are consumed and used regularly, create discount promo codes for future purchases, and include them on a postcard with your products and/or in a follow-up email.
In addition to providing positive items of value to customers, ensure that it is easy for them to leave reviews. Provide clear step-by-step instructions on a postcard that is packaged with your products and/or provide a direct link in follow-up emails.