Negative customer reviews are scary! Often negative customer reviews are scary for all sellers, whether they already exist or not, seeing a negative review appear online can feel like a death sentence. However, with the right approach, it’s easy to convert these negative reviewers into loyal customers. Today I will teach you how to operate a series of skills to solve the negative reviews encountered in the operation of cross-border e-commerce stores!
(1) We should figure out where the negative reviews come from so that we can solve the problem more specifically.
① Platform issue. The selected platform itself has program problems, such as it is difficult to click on the selected products, and you don’t know where to find them after buying them, the Internet speed is slow, the link jump is slow, the web page refresh is slow, the column distribution is unreasonable, and the communication program responds slowly. These factors are all factors of the platform itself (if any), and we can only hope for improvements in the platform’s own technical capabilities. Fortunately, we must pay attention to consumers' consumption experience overseas, and any problems can be solved quickly. Sellers just need to give feedback to the platform in a timely manner. Well, they may also have to be prepared to argue with the platform.
② Product problem. Sellers should look for problems themselves, check the quality of their products, whether their product categories meet overseas market demand, whether they understand Western culture, and whether they violate Western cultural taboos. Of course, the logistics and distribution of the product is also a problem, but we will talk about it another time.
Sellers need to strictly control the quality of their products, including production, raw material procurement, product size and shelf management.
③ Cultural issues. The cultural gap between China and the West has led to some differences in consumption concepts, thinking and behavior between domestic and foreign consumers. Taboo strikes like 13 are all very familiar, bats symbolize evil, as do dragons. It is best for domestic sellers to be familiar with the culture of the market where they sell their products. In this regard, Haiyuanhui has resource advantages in North America, and has many years of operation in both local marketing and customer service.
④ Logistics and distribution issues. At present, international logistics adopts four modes: international dedicated lines, international parcels, international express delivery and overseas warehousing and delivery. It is recommended to sell through multiple channels to ensure normal logistics distribution. Of course, if the company is strong enough, it is recommended to build overseas warehouses. Regarding this point, I have currently confirmed that Haiyuanhui is available in North America.
The above are the main sources of negative reviews for cross-border e-commerce stores. The best way to deal with them is to find out the reasons and deal with them in a targeted manner. Of course, it is best to recruit local North American staff as customer service staff, so that when dealing with problems, such as negative reviews, communication will be easier.
In short, harmony brings wealth, and no one wants to have a hard time with customers, right? It doesn’t matter if you get a bad review or return the product, but having repeat customers is the real deal!
(II) What should I do if a negative review occurs?
First of all, if a bad review occurs, it can only be solved softly. There is no black technology to violently delete bad reviews. If there is, it is mostly a scam!
1. Quick response (within 24-48 hours)
Buyers consider posting public reviews to be so important that sellers should treat it as an emergency. Respond quickly to show that you value customer feedback.
In addition, for example, within the Amazon system, it is not recommended that sellers contact buyers multiple times to communicate due to negative reviews, so when questions are received, they should be responded to in a timely manner to avoid subsequent troubles.
2. Provide solutions
Based on buyers’ feedback, sellers should make targeted and comprehensive analysis and communicate with customers in a targeted manner.
If it is determined that the customer's negative review is due to problems with the store's products, the seller must take certain measures to remedy the situation.
For example, if the product they purchased is missing an accessory (the seller's pot), the seller must immediately deliver the accessory to the customer.
Many times, customers will not accept directly when they are angry, but the service you provide is still important. These all directly affect your potential customers.
3. Be sincere
After receiving feedback from buyers, sellers must fully consider the situation of the entire order and write a polite, sincere and touching email based on a comprehensive assessment. Never let customers feel that this is just a perfunctory response because you are afraid that they will leave a bad review.
Furthermore, regarding this type of email, it is not recommended that sellers use translation tools such as Google to operate, because the directly translated language is too cold and cannot fully express the true thoughts you want to express.
Moreover, sellers should be reminded that sensitive words related to reviews should never be mentioned in emails sent to buyers. For example, Update, change, modify, review, etc. are all taboo words.
4. Treat the symptoms
If you receive a complaint call from a buyer, say hello when you pick up the phone, then state your name and origin, and then quickly determine what type of buyer it is based on the customer's language.
In most cases, we can divide complaining buyers into five types:
a. Chatty: Buyers ask a lot of questions and give you little time to respond. You should talk less and respond politely but don’t let them talk all the time.
b. Angry: Buyers are very aggressive. You should try your best to appease them but not perfunctorily, so as not to anger them again. Then, state your measures and make sure to implement them.
c. Know-it-all type: They know everything and understand your routines. At this time, you should add some compliments to your words;
d. Inquiring: The buyer is not sure what is wrong with the product. In this case, you need to help them find out the problem and then objectively propose your solution;
e. Suspicious type: For this type of buyer, you must first build his confidence in you, then be polite and don’t be emotional when speaking.
Harmony brings wealth, and success is always achieved
Mid-Autumn Festival
The following also provides you with ideas for removing negative reviews, I hope it can help you:
1. Understand the user’s problem
Sellers should first think about why users leave you bad reviews. Generally speaking, users leave you bad reviews because they feel very unhappy with something or the experience after purchasing your product.
Therefore, it is very important for sellers to understand the problem first. Then be careful to be polite during the communication process. Don't be upset with him and have a bad attitude just because he left you a bad review. You must think about the problem from the other person's perspective.
2. Provide solutions
After knowing the reason why users leave bad reviews, what you need to do is to provide an alternative solution that users will accept, but you must never impose your solution on the other party. The key is that the other party is willing to accept it actively.
In most cases, buyers will accept the constructive solution you provide, but if they disagree, you can communicate and reach a consensus.
3. Follow up on user experience
After providing your solution and being accepted by the buyer, you should also continue to follow up on the user's usage experience or feelings to see if the user's final problem has been solved.
(III) General negative review template
Step 1: Order Confirmation
The order confirmation email is the first email sent to the customer after the product is shipped. The purpose of this email is to help you establish communication with your customers and introduce yourself and your brand.
You should also include a tip or giveaway in your email, such as an eBook. Here are the templates you can use:
Subject line: Hi [Buyer First Name]! Your [Product Name] has hit the road!
Hello [Buyer First Name],
This is [Your Name] from [Your Brand]!
I want to thank you for your recent purchase. Your [Product Name] has been shipped and will be with you soon.
We strive to make sure that our product exceeds your expectations and we hope you'll enjoy it. Here are a few tips from us that may enhance your experience:
[TIP 1]
[TIP 2]
[TIP 3]
We know you're eager to get your hands on the [Product Name] quickly; you can track the status of your order here: [Order Link].
We will send a follow-up email soon to make sure everything is going well with your new product. If you have any issues with your order, contact us directly at [Email Address] so we can fix it quickly.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Brand Name]
Step 2: Order follow-up email
The purpose of an order follow-up email is to ensure that everything went well with the order, that the customer received the product in good condition, and to provide any help if there were any problems.
You can also use this email to send a review request first and send a follow-up email 2-5 days after the product is delivered. If you don't know what to write, here are some templates:
Subject line: Hi [Buyer First Name]! Did you enjoy your [Product Name]?
Hi [Buyer First Name],
It's [Your Name] from [Your Brand] again! According to our records, your product was delivered a few days ago.
I wanted to follow-up with you to check in about your experience. Did you enjoy everything?
Feedback from awesome customers like you help others to feel confident about choosing [Your Brand] too. Could you take 60 seconds to share your experiences?
[Leave Review link]
We will be forever grateful. Thank you in advance for helping us out!
If there was anything wrong with your order, please let us address your concerns contacting us directly at [Email Address]!
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Brand Name]
Step 3: Review Request Email
The final email should be to the point. The purpose of this email is to get product reviews and seller feedback, so make it clear in the body of the email. Use the template below and send 7 to 14 days after product delivery and only after a follow up email.
Subject line: So, what do you think?
Hi [Buyer First Name],
It's [Your Name] from [Your Brand] again!
We know it's been a while since you received your [Product Name] and hope you are completely satisfied with your transaction.
If you have not already left us feedback, could you spare two minutes to do so? Simply click on the link below:
[Leave Review Link]
Again, if there was anything wrong with your order, please let us address your concerns contacting us directly at [Email Address]!
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Brand Name]
(IV) Summary and sharing (key points)
While making good products, everyone should remember to provide good service. Don't wait until bad reviews actually happen before you realize it. I hope everyone will remember this.
Take precautions before it happens. If it still happens, don't worry. After all, if you walk by the river, you will get your feet wet! Adjust your mindset and actively deal with customer problems! Even if it is not caused by you, you should try to take the responsibility actively.
Negative reviews are actually an opportunity to grow every time you discover shortcomings. For example, if your logistics is too slow, you should consider changing the logistics channel.
Making a good product is not just about making a good product itself, but also about making a good product listing. For example, write what your product is. Don’t exaggerate in order to deceive customers into placing orders. This is often not advisable!
Remember to pay attention to the store policy, because your store policy often determines your return and exchange policy. If you don't write it clearly, the platform will definitely tend to protect buyers!
New stores and new sellers have bad reviews or even have their stores closed for various reasons. Everyone must remember to learn all the contents of the entire process and operation before opening a store!
Generally, three processes determine the health of the entire order: pre-sales/order fulfillment/after-sales. These three stages must be grasped well!
Attitude, we must remember the attitude of dealing with problems, because we are sellers, consumers are weak, and the platform will first consider the consumer's one thing, so even if it is a consumer problem, we can tolerate it!
Don't affect the store index for a few small dollars. If the price is not very high, or it is a small item, it is better not to make money, but to make a store index, or even a reputation!
If bad reviews are handled well, they can turn waste into treasure, and even win a loyal customer. If they are not handled well, they can be fatal, so design your store route from a long-term perspective!
