Many e-commerce businesses consider Amazon to be the “ideal” place. However, Amazon shoppers want to see proof that your product works as expected in the form of customer reviews. So what should you do if you don’t have any reviews yet? To learn more, Young Entrepreneurs Council members answered these questions:
What’s a good way for businesses to encourage them to buy products on Amazon, even if they have few or no online reviews?
1. Work with influencers
We are all skeptical of unfamiliar products. This is why user reviews are so important. They add credibility to the product. If you have a product listed on Amazon but don’t have any reviews, consider working with influencers in a related field. He or she can share your product and recommend it to their audience, giving you the credibility and customer introductions you need to make sales. – Shaun Conrad, My Accounting Course
2. Treat your Amazon page like a website landing page
Too many sellers don’t take their product pages seriously. Treat yours just like a landing page on your own website. Create a content-rich page that features professional product images, action videos, user testimonials, and provides comparison information. Take the time to craft your description to preemptively answer questions your customers might have. The more information you include, the better. – Jordan Conrad, Book Explanation
3. Use other channels
You need a channel that leads to Amazon from other places, so you can leverage your marketing efforts to build a customer base on Amazon. Drive traffic through advertising or email newsletters and combine it with smart strategies. For example, you may only offer one or two products on Amazon. Finally, ask people to leave a review after they make a purchase. This way you will get everything working. - Solomon Thimothy, OneIMS
4. Offer free or discounted products
Offer to give your product away at a discount or for free for a limited time in exchange for an (honest) review on Amazon. This will encourage consumers to purchase your products, and the reviews generated will in turn help build trust in you as a brand in the marketplace. Also, be sure to include a detailed description of features, product images, and usage videos. - Jared Weitz, American Capital Source
5. Use Sponsored Products
Amazon offers this service to push your product listings to the top. You pay only when someone clicks on your product, and new users get discounts. Reviews are important, but until it gets more reviews, this service is a solid choice. – Andrew Schrage, The Money Crashers Personal Finance
6. Invest in quality videos
Investing in high-quality videos of your products that you can upload to Amazon is a great selling point. It allows visitors to understand what makes your products stand out from your competitors while also getting to know you and your brand. – Rana Gujral, Behavioral Signals
7. Prepare the startup list
We offer a "VIP list" of signed up customers an 80% discount on our future products. Every time we launch a product on Amazon, these people get emailed about it first and get a deep discount. This enabled us to get a lot of reviews in the first few weeks. Not only did this provide social proof to other customers, but it also improved our ranking in Amazon search results. - Kal Kangur, the house above
8. In-depth description
If you want people on Amazon to have a chance of buying your product, you have to eliminate all the question marks. Upload multiple photos of your product and go in-depth with your description. From size, structure, features to functionality, you can provide your customers with a wealth of knowledge to make their decision much easier. – Zach Binder, Bell + Ivy
9. Join Amazon Launchpad
Amazon Launchpad isn't available for all products, but it's worth a try. The program enables you to get a lot of benefits at launch, including A plus content, marketing support, featured placements, and access to special offline and online (Prime Day) events to promote your products. It really helps to get our products on the market in Europe and the US. Finally, the program is free. - Andy Karuza, FenSens
10. Offer a Money-Back Guarantee
If a consumer is not satisfied with a product, Amazon has the option of refunding the customer, but sometimes their customer support is less than satisfactory. If you want to encourage consumers to buy your products on Amazon, make sure you offer a money-back guarantee through your business. – Chris Christoff, MonsterInsights
11. Humanize Your Brand
Today, consumers want to connect with the brands they spend their money on. So even without customer reviews, you can tap into this emotional need by humanizing your brand and making your customers feel special. Introduce yourself and include a photo to show the people behind the company. Share the story of how your brand was created. People love success stories, so make the most of it. – Stephanie Wells, Horrible Form
12. Display User-Generated Content
User-generated content serves as social proof. When Amazon users see photos of your real customers enjoying your products, they are more likely to buy. You can get more user-generated content by asking your customers to share their photos on Instagram with your branded hashtag. Many customers will be happy to take their photo in exchange for being featured on your website or Instagram page.
