How To Respond To Negative Reviews: Examples and Best Practices  

You use high-quality items and outstanding customer support, and your consumers tend to agree. Simply look at the countless rave reviews that you have! But, sometimes, a negative one turns up. While that likely seems like a punch in the gut, an unfavorable review isn't actually a bad thing. And when you react to negative reviews, it will benefit your brand. 

Client rankings and evaluations matter, with 89% of shoppers consulting them before acquiring anything. They do focus on how favorable evaluations are, obviously, but likewise think about other factors like the amount and recency of evaluations. Customers likewise heavily count on negative reviews to inform their purchases. 

60% of consumers think negative reviews are simply as essential as favorable ones in deciding what to purchase, as they can discover just as much (if not more) about your products from negative reviews. 

So, what should you do when you get an unfavorable evaluation? You need to respond to it. Whether it's a Google review or a another evaluation service provider (like Bazaarvoice), here's how to respond to negative reviews effectively. And why doing so benefits your service. 

Why negative reviews matter 

When you respond to negative reviews, you place yourself as a company that cares. It reveals that you're listening to what your customers say and making the effort to solve their problems and improve.

We've seen that items with at least a couple of negative reviews have higher conversion rates than those with 100% favorable feedback.

These are the leading factors we've seen that negative reviews matter.

They make you more authentic

Buyers value evaluations and trust the recommendations of fellow shoppers every bit as much as family and friends, if not more. Consumers likewise understand that no one is flawless, so they anticipate to see a mix of feedback. Being transparent-- featuring negative reviews and responding to them-- makes you more authentic in the eyes of customers. 

Retail huge Walmart especially understands the worth of unfavorable reviews.

According to Alyssa Thomas, Director of Product, Content as Commerce, at Walmart.com, "One of the things that we are not happy to sacrifice is credibility. So, one of the actually important parts of customers reading scores and evaluations is that they trust that they're authentic and appropriate to the product.

Otherwise, we potentially lose that trust that clients were trying to find from reviews in the very first place."

They recognize problems 

Negative reviews might uncover defects or problems with items, which you might not otherwise find out about. We've found that about 4% of reviews keep in mind manufacturing issues, 2% recognize product improvements or additions, and 1% explain disparities in product descriptions or website copy, according to our Shopper Experience Index. 

The very same research study likewise informs us that 66% of sellers and brands utilize evaluations to enhance items, and 50% to improve marketing methods and messaging. Getting this feedback provides you a chance to speak with producers and suppliers to attend to problems head-on so your reputation stays intact. And, show to consumers that you care about quality. 

Clothing retailer Vertbaudet, for instance, noticed constant negative reviews around the sizing for a line of maternity dresses.

The brand took this feedback on board and resized the line, resulting in a 12% boost in sales.

They notify item development and market needs 

Listening to what consumers state about your items can influence innovation. You may develop ways to enhance existing items that drive greater sales or realize there's a market need for a completely brand-new item. 

Here's a good example. The Container Store uses reviews-- negative and positive-- to make their products better. When clients left negative reviews for a shoe storage box, saying they wished it were taller so they could save high heels, the brand dealt with their maker to make a taller box. It was a hit!

And, the company offered all the credit to customers by publishing the message, "You asked and we listened. We took whatever you love about our Shoe Box and made it in a size that perfectly fits high heels." 

They assist improve client service

Over 70% of the brand names we work with usage negative reviews to improve customer care. Believe: slow shipping times, unhelpful responses from customer support groups, or items harmed in transit. Consumers won't be shy about sharing these experiences with your brand. But they'll be expecting you to listen and treat the problem. 

Most consumers are willing to do business with a business once again after a disappointment, and lots of will delete negative comments once they get a reply or a repair. So, it's always an excellent idea to make things right to keep consumers returning. 

Should you react to negative reviews?

Yes. You must always respond to negative reviews. Evaluation management need to be a major element of your material strategy. And, there are countless reasons why. The greatest one being trust. 

When you react to negative reviews, it provides your clients self-confidence.

54% of consumers say that if they compose a negative review, they expect a reaction from the company. And 87% of them expect brand names to do something after getting a negative evaluation, whether that's responding or offering a discount for future purchases. 

No matter how frustrated the consumer is, your reaction leaves a positive impression and calms the scenario. And, even if they swore to never ever buy from you again, replying and revealing your interest in making things right will likely change their minds. 

Other buyers are taking note, too. 89% of customers check out responses to negative reviews. Reacting to negative reviews makes your brand name appear credible and protects your track record. 

Motivating trust drives customer commitment. When they know that you're listening and responding to their concerns, they'll come back time and once again, and most likely spend more money. 

How do you respond to a negative product review?

Webroot, an internet security software application provider, has seen the advantages of responding to reviews first-hand.

The company responded to 70% of its low-rated evaluations. This improved the shopping experience for those who left negative reviews, but also humanized the brand and instilled confidence in shoppers by flaunting its first-class customer care. 

And then there's pharmacy huge Boots, who turn dissatisfied consumers into brand name advocates by responding to negative product reviews. Through their technique, the brand has actually seen a 186% boost in intent to purchase when reacting with a description or assistance on how to utilize a product differently.

Seeing comparable outcomes when you react to negative reviews depends upon getting the messaging right. You want to keep your brand name tone undamaged and get along, personal, and specific. Using a canned response for every evaluation will turn consumers off. 

Essential of all is to make certain your action is significant. Constantly ask yourself this concern: "Is my action providing worth to this consumer and future clients reading my answer?" 

Uncertain what to state? Here are a couple of tested examples. 

• " Hey there Kate! We're so sorry to hear that you had problems with [include the specific product or service here]" .

• " We're so sorry you had a bad experience with [add specifics of the concern]" .

• " We appreciate your feedback, Melissa. It appears like others are having this problem, too. We're looking into this." .

• " Thanks for making the effort to share your feedback with us, Mark. Feedback like yours assists us enhance." .

• " We're sorry you had a bad experience with [include service or product] We would like to help you further, but we need more details about your experience. Please contact our Customer Care team at [include contact number, e-mail address, and hours of operation]" .

5 ways to respond to negative reviews

The majority of customers will do business with a business again after a disappointment if the circumstance is dealt with well.

Utilize these ideas and best practices to react to negative reviews to secure your brand. 

1. Show empathy 

Everyone likes to feel heard. Acknowledge the issue and apologize, even if you believe the evaluation isn't always called for. Show the customer (and anyone else reading your reaction!) that you understand their disappointment which their opinion is valid.

Focus your reaction on the issue and offer an option. Never ever criticize the reviewer or get defensive. Internally, path the issue to product advancement, shipping, or another proper division in your company. 

2. Be individual 

With so much online brand noise, consumers actually value credibility. Refer to the consumer by their name in your response. Restate their particular problem to reveal that you really comprehend the issue and state how you're trying to deal with it.

And avoid composing scripted reactions that you copy and paste for every single negative review.

Not only is this unoriginal, but it's likewise impersonal and will turn buyers off. 

" Thank you, TJ. Your thoughts are necessary to us ..."

" Thanks for making the effort to share your feedback with us, Albert ..."

 " Sam, we're so grateful you raised this problem ..."

Even if your core message is the same for multiple evaluations, find alternate methods to mix it up, particularly in your opening sentence.

3. Respond quickly

React to negative reviews as rapidly as you can. Showing a sense of urgency will develop trust amongst consumers and tell future consumers that you care. Make certain to react to an unfavorable review within 24-- 48 hours. While 84% of merchants claim to respond to favorable and negative customer feedback (73% of whom respond within the exact same day) there's still a variation between consumer expectation and brand name reaction time, according to our research.

Normally, it's best practice to invest about an hour for every 50 evaluations you encounter, as you'll be focusing on 1-3 star approved reviews. This includes time for research study, composing, and modifying your actions. 

4. Stay with the point 

Short, easy messages work best. Say too much and you might differ your brand persona. Consisting of too many details can be overwhelming for the client and might make you seem defensive or desperate.

Don't ask any follow-up questions in the reaction, either. If you require additional information, ask the client to contact your client service team and consist of the contact details. And, be on the lookout for that one-on-one message to come through. 

5. Learn from unfavorable feedback

Keep in mind, negative reviews uncover insights that can improve your product or services moving forward. Not just need to you react to negative reviews, but you should also act when you're receiving constant feedback about enhancements that might be made.

And let the customer understand this.

 " Feedback like yours helps us improve. Thank you for submitting this review ...".

" We value speaking with consumers and need this consistent feedback loop, whether it's unfavorable or favorable, or we aren't going to get better," says Drew Frey, Community and Advocacy Manager, Webroot. "We keep track of these comments daily, and if we see any concerning trends, we share that with the remainder of the group internally."

                                                                    How to use negative reviews to your advantage

No one likes bad feedback, of course. However negative reviews aren't all bad and even use some benefits: 

• Customer interactions: You may not constantly get the chance to get in touch with your shoppers in such a direct way. Reviews (good and bad) let you learn exactly what they consider your brand name and provide you an opportunity to make up for a bad experience

• Areas for improvement: Negative reviews offer insights, which you should gain from.
  
  

  If numerous clients are mentioning the very same shipping issue or item defect, you can act and enhance your products and systems

• Transparency and credibility: Displaying negative reviews reveals that you have absolutely nothing to hide, which lends an air of credibility to your brand. Consumers will recognize that their feedback matters, and your desire to make things right will resonate

• A jump on the competitors: When clients point out concerns with products, they may give you ideas for new things. Or, assist you see a market need for something else. Use this details to get ahead of your competitors

• Brand empathy: Some negative reviews are just unreasonable. But, taking the time to thoughtfully respond, even when you know it's unfair, will win over consumers. Consumers frequently feel empathy towards unneeded and unwarranted reviews. They'll wish to support you, and this is terrific for your brand name reputation

Handling reviews and reacting to the negative ones can be a lot to deal with.

Which's before you even take responding to favorable evaluations into account. However it's crucial for you to be there in the minutes that matter. Bazaarvoice has all the tools you require to easily handle and respond to evaluations and questions at scale, both on merchant sites in addition to all your own channels.