Most customers who like a product never say so unless you ask. This guide covers when to send a review request after delivery, what to put in it, and where the FTC draws the line on incentives. This is general information, not legal advice.
Time the request to the product
Ask too early and the customer has nothing to say. Ask too late and the purchase is forgotten. Count from the delivery date, not the order date, and give the customer enough time to use what they bought.
| Product type | When to ask |
|---|---|
| Used straight away (snacks, phone cases) | A few days after delivery |
| Needs a trial period (skincare, mattresses) | After a realistic period of use |
| Gifts and seasonal items | After the occasion, not before |
Make the request easy to answer
A review request is a favor, so keep the effort small. One product, one link, one clear question. If the customer has to log in, search for the product or fill in a long form, most will stop.
- One product per email: Ask about the item they are most likely to have an opinion on
- Direct link: Send them straight to the review form for that product
- A prompt: Suggest what to mention, such as fit, how they use it, or who it suits
- Photo option: Invite a photo, but never require one
- Plain subject line: "How is your [product name] working out?"
Send one reminder, then stop
Some customers mean to reply and forget. A single reminder a week or so later is reasonable. More than that starts to feel like pressure, and it trains customers to ignore your emails.
- ✅ One follow-up to customers who did not respond
- ✅ Skip anyone with an open support ticket or a return in progress until it is resolved
- ❌ Repeated reminders for the same order
- ❌ A request sent before the parcel has arrived
Stay inside the FTC rules
The FTC's Consumer Reviews and Testimonials Rule took effect on October 21, 2024. FTC staff guidance says the rule does not prohibit giving incentives for reviews, but an incentive cannot come with an express or implied requirement that the review express a particular sentiment. The FTC's Endorsement Guides guidance also says an incentive should be disclosed, and that asking only the customers you expect to be happy can mislead shoppers.
- ✅ Ask every customer, including those who may be unhappy
- ✅ Offer the same incentive for any honest review, and make sure it is disclosed
- ❌ A discount offered for a positive or five-star review
- ❌ Writing, buying or selling fake reviews
Use what comes back
More reviews are only useful if you read them. Reply to the critical ones, and look for the complaints that repeat. See how to reply to negative reviews and how to analyze product reviews.
Doing this at scale
ReviewLens does not collect reviews, so you still need a review app or email flow to gather them. Once they are in your store, it reads them, groups them into themes, scores sentiment per theme and builds a ranked "Fix This Week" list with verbatim customer quotes. See ReviewLens.