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I often write about Amazon reviews, as it is one of the most important aspects of marketing for many people and Amazon seems to keep changing the rules!
Now, Amy Collins of The Book Designer published an update in the form of Frequently Asked Questions. I’m sharing here the most common ones:
Can Anyone post a review on Amazon?
To contribute to Customer Reviews, you must have spent at least $50 on Amazon.com using a valid credit or debit card in the past 12 months. Promotional discounts don’t qualify towards the $50 minimum.
May I ask people to write a review of my book?
Book authors and publishers may provide free or discounted copies of their books to readers, as long as the author or publisher does not require a review in exchange or attempt to influence the review. Also, you are allowed to discount your book during your launch but you must offer the same price to everyone. You cannot offer special pricing just to reviewers, nor offer any bonuses or anything in exchange for a review.
The ONLY thing you are allowed to do is offer a review copy of your book to a reviewer specifying that a review is only optional. Also, the review has to clearly mention this was a review copy.
The big line we all need to stay behind is that we should not ask those we know or work with to write a review. I know a lot of us have readers who are big fans and stay in touch and follow us online. But if your readers have become close connections online and in life, they may find that their reviews are now suspect. Your fans and clients should feel free to post reviews. But you should not ask them to. Encouraging Amazon reviews in social media posts can be considered in violation of this policy.
So, my advice is to ask potential ARC reviewers to add in their reviews a line similar to the following ones:
- “I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader’s Copy of this book”
- “I was provided a pre-publication copy of this book by the author/publisher with no obligation for a review”
Basically, make sure it’s clear that no exchange (monetary or otherwise) took place, and that your review is honest and voluntary. Which, I hope, is always the case anyway.
Is it true that people are not allowed to post reviews on products they haven’t purchased?
Not in the case of books. Amazon knows that book publishers and authors have supplied review copies of books to reviewers for generations. Amazon does not allow reviews for products unless the reviewer has bought the product unless it is a book.
Why are so many reviews being taken down?
A year or so ago, Amazon changed their review policies. Content and activities consisting of advertising, promotion, or solicitation (whether direct or indirect) is not allowed, including:
- Creating, modifying, or posting content in exchange for compensation of any kind (including free or discounted products, refunds, or reimbursements) or on behalf of anyone else.
- Offering compensation or requesting compensation (including free or discounted products) in exchange for creating, modifying, or posting content. (Book publishers are EXEMPT to this rule as stated by Amazon above)
- Reviews may only include URLs or links to other products sold on Amazon.
- Customers in the same household may not post multiple reviews of the same product.
- Creating, modifying, or posting content regarding your (or your relative’s, close friend’s, business associate’s, or employer’s) products or services.
This means that you should not ask anyone you know to post a review. In the past, Amazon allowed for colleagues and acquaintances to post reviews. They allowed for clients and those connected with your business to post, but not anymore.
Reviews in violation of these policies may be taken down.
What can I do if a review is taken down unfairly?
First of all, Amazon does not regularly review posted content. However, if a review is taken down there’s not much you can do, I’m afraid. If Amazon determines that the review in question violates their policies, they own the site and have the final say. Also, if your review is removed or rejected, you may not resubmit a review on the same product, even if the resubmitted review includes different content.
The Book Designer advises authors to complain and make a stink in the hopes that, if enough complaints come in, Amazon may change their policies again.
Personally, however, I have heard too many stories of Amazon removing even more reviews as a result of authors complaining to risk that. So, my advice would be to just move on and run free day promotions instead.
The big things to keep in mind when planning to get more Amazon reviews:
- Focus on professional book reviewers and bloggers.
- You CAN offer book reviewers review copies of your book.
- Do not solicit Amazon reviews on your social media page or website. Suggest, instead, that they post reviews online anywhere they prefer to shop.
- Do not ask anyone you know (even on social media) to post a review. Let the reviews come organically.
- Work on promoting sales and use ads and keyword bids to increase sales and your reviews will grow.
Finally, check out this post by Bookbub Insights on getting reviews.
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This is great information, Nicholas. I’ve not had any of my reviews taken down, but I’ve always wondered what to do it one was deleted from Amazon.
Well, I hope you never have to see any of the info here 🙂
Information here is helpful, thank you. I’ve had book reviews taken down from time to time for no reason on all three of my mystery novels. I’ve not violated any of Amazon’s review standards and I’m vigilant about keeping everything legitimate for my reviews. When I contact them to ask why a review is missing, I get a stock answer about Amazon policy.
Amazon support isn’t really its strong suit. Which is weird for a company which prides itself in its customer-centric approach.
Thanks so much for this helpful info. 🙂
A pleasure! I’m glad you found it useful 🙂
Thank you for the information. This is good to know.
Thanks! I’m glad you found it useful 🙂
My head hurts. Amazon, just why?
Lol–they’re just another company trying to take over the world, so… 😀
Seriously, though, it’s all to do with a) increasing profits, b) optimizing customer experience, and c) beating scammers.
This is really good info, Nicholas. Thanks! I do reviews for Rosie’s team, but always try to buy the book in case the review would be a terrible, awful, no good, very bad deal. Then I don’t post it. Also I figure the author can use the sale.
That’s so sweet of you, Noelle! You’re a star 🙂
Has anyone got advice for me – I’ve had my reviewing privileges revoked, and all the reviews I have written for other books for the last 10 years have been taken down. I have never violated any of the rules, eg got paid for reviews, solicited them, written dishonest reviews, done review swaps etc etc. I wrote one email and they said it was final. This is death for an indie author. I’m really miserable about this.
Bloody hell! I’m so sorry to hear that. Yes, I do have a suggestion: give them a call and insist, right away, that you speak to a superior. The first people to answer the phone are always clueless and won’t be able to help you at all. Continue asking until you find someone who’s willing to pay attention to what you’re saying. I hope you sort it out!
This happened to me as well, Lucinda. Do you have an associated membership with Amazon? I think that’s what happened with me, but who knows, since they refuse to explain!
I’ve started posting my reviews to BookBub instead. At least they don’t penalize a person for no good reason.
I’m so sorry to hear that, Jacquie! Have you tried what I’m suggesting–to ask to talk to a supervisor? The poor people manning the front line are pretty clueless.
As you know, I am on the Amazon Vine Reviewer Programme. But I always buy books to review, especially those of other bloggers. They are usually only 99p anyway, then they get the label of being a ‘Verified Purchase’. I could be wrong, but I do feel that potential buyers like to see that the reviewer actually bought the product.book.
I am also allowed to review things I haven’t bought from them, as I have done with dozens of DVD films, given to me as gifts by relatives.
Best wishes, Pete.
‘Product or book’. (Typo)
Many thanks for sharing that, Pete! You’re right: as a reader, I, too, read more into a Verified Purchase review.
Typo: I meant to type *no minimum annual expenditure
Thank you for this informative post – it is always upsetting to see the number of reviews drop and not know why. There are a couple of points I can add to this post. Your suggestion: “I was provided a pre-publication copy of this book by the publisher for review purposes” – I might just drop the addition of “for review purposes”as you stated above that it is acceptable to give ARC’s but without the expectation of a review. Now if this suggested post is because it came from the publisher and not the author, then that makes it safer. If the book was provided by the publisher to the media or famous author, the review will be above the purchased line and placed in the editorial section as a testimonial and not considered a ranking review.
I can also clarify your statement about spending $50. This would be for reviews of books not purchased on Amazon. If it is a verified purchase on Amazon there is no minimum monthly expenditure on Amazon required. A additional tidbit I learned is that if you are running a book launch or a review tour post the link to your book without the ipo address. Use only the short clean version on Amazon – not a long tail address. Thank you again for this informative post as reviews are important to all of us. 🙂
That’s a good couple of points, actually. I’ll change the phrasing according to your first suggestion.
As for the second one, I believe that Amazon doesn’t let you post any reviews if you haven’t spent at least $50 there (not monthly; this is a lifetime number).
Thanks!
Yes, it is an annual number. I asked a customer rep about this point and she assured me reviews were accepted if the book was purchased on Amazon without the annual spend of $50 (I tried to fix my typo, and posted a new message) But this may have changed yet again. Next time I am on with them I will ask.
Great post!
Thank you for the clarification 🙂