Before online shopping became widespread, it was common to hear experiences and get advice from people around you who bought the product before shopping.
What about the age of the Internet? After all, we are still listening to the experiences of those around us. But there are differences. The other person is not a neighbor, but people on the Internet. Instead of knocking on the door to hear what you think, we read the recommendations in the review section. The same is true for Shopify app store and merchant reviews. Informed app reviews are useful for merchants. I hope you will take advantage of this review!
In this article, we’ll show you when and how to ask your merchants to review your app, while adhering to the Partner Program Terms.
Table of Contents
When a merchant installs the app, they are given the right to review it. You can rate it with 1 to 5 stars, and you can write down the app experience briefly. These reviews play an important role in deciding whether other merchants should install the app.
Not only does the review provide evidence of an active user base, but it also helps merchants understand how the app is used in the store, and how much developers can help when problems occur with the app. You can see if you are doing it.
Considering these factors, you should prioritize getting as many reviews as possible. But as much as you are passionate about designing and building your app, you need to be as strategic as getting user reviews. If you ask merchants for reviews over and over again, they may find it annoying to leave unfair and negative reviews or even abandon the app.
If you request a review in a way that is perceived as guilty or bribe, it is considered an incentive review and is a violation of the Partner Program Terms. In that case, operational actions may be taken to remove the designated review or completely eliminate it from the app store and Shopify partner programs.
First and foremost, false or incentive-type unjustified reviews violate the Partner Program Terms. Merchants should not be explicitly required to write a 5-star review. These unreliable reviews can hurt the quality of the entire Shopify app store ecosystem. And it discourages merchants from trusting and motivating third-party apps.
Also, as an app developer, I would like you to evaluate the value of your app with positive reviews. However, reviews that point out the shortcomings of the app and areas that could be improved are just as valuable. By understanding what your merchants want from your app, you’ll be able to create better products that can get more users. Often the biggest supporters are those who were originally skeptical.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at our recommended best practices for getting quality reviews. It should help improve and grow your Shopify app.
Timing is everything. If you ask too quickly or at a strange time, it will lead to poor reviews and user experience. The following method is recommended to check the time.
Request when the merchant uses the app to some extent and finds out its function and value. As the app solves challenges and improves the store, merchants want to share their successful experiences. It may also suggest new features to improve the app.
If you are offering a free trial, wait until the trial is over. Your impression of the merchant’s app will change after you start billing. Also, if you continue to use the app after the trial period, you are an active user. That’s why it’s important to request a review after the free trial is over.
Do not request a review during onboarding. Users can’t write honest reviews without spending enough time on the app. Give yourself time to write a cohesive opinion. In addition, a review request during onboarding may give the user the misunderstanding that “writing a review is essential to use the app”. Again, this is considered an incentive review and may violate the Partner Program Terms.
Now that you know when to request a review, think about where to send your message. Here are some best practices for where to request a review:
Incorporate the message in the appropriate place in the product. Place a section or area to request a review out of the way of other spaces. It’s important to make it an intuitive place for the merchant who wants to write a review. However, if you use a persistent mechanism such as a top banner or pop-up, it will hurt the user experience.
Clicking on the banner rating will open the app store rating page
Request a review in the news email that the merchant is opting in. If it makes sense, you can add an item to request an app review in the email for merchants. Note: Declaring to write a good review can be an incentive, but it’s okay to simply ask to share your experience.
Follow up after support. After being cared for by support, merchants are more motivated to share their experiences.
It’s hard to push, it’s persistent, and it doesn’t happen randomly. Create sections and areas where review requests can be felt naturally. Persistent style has a negative impact on the user experience.
Do not send unsolicited emails. This is a violation of spam regulations ( such as CASL in Canada and CAN-SPAM in the United States ). It also violates the Partner Program Terms. Please check with the user if you are willing to receive the email and ask at a reasonable time.
Now that we know the timing and location of the request, it’s time to look at the most important and annoying part. That is what kind of words to ask.
Below are some suggestions that you can and shouldn’t. Please read this section carefully. Improper wording can result in serious operational violations and exclusion from the app store.
Please share the experience of the merchant. All reviews are proof that you have an active and enthusiastic user base! Favorable reviews show the value of the app, and constructive reviews show the vein of feedback that improves the app. In addition, you can reply to reviews. By doing so, you will be motivated to improve your app and will strive for your merchants as much as possible.
Allow merchants to refuse. If you have the option to “Hide review requests no longer”, merchants will appreciate your respect (notice the close button on the banner in the example above).
Provide another support channel. If your users want feedback on your app, but don’t want to write a review, make sure you know how to contact support.
Examples of expressions that can be used in review requests
The following example is a perfectly fine expression when requesting an app review.
“Tell us about your app experience! Please review it on the Shopify app store .”
“Your opinion is important. Let other merchants know how the app worked. Leave a review in the Shopify app store .”
“Feedback is important to us. We would appreciate it if you could write a review.”
“How did you use the app? Candid feedback helps improve the app ! Please review it on the Shopify app store .”
Do not explicitly request a positive review. Asking to write a review favorably creates a bias in leaving a review and violates the Partner Program Terms.
Do not offer discounts or benefits in exchange for reviews. This is considered an incentive and is strictly prohibited by the Partner Program Terms.
Do not make the review feel compelled. Not only does it make merchants uneasy, but it also leads to dishonest reviews and comments about writing and filling in characters.
Do not request editing, revision, or deletion of reviews. Merchants want to hear from you. We reply to the review that recommends that you use the function. By addressing the issue publicly, you can show that you are sucking up dissatisfaction with other merchants. Merchants will appreciate your reply and will be more active app users depending on your reply to your feedback.
Do not request reviews with inductive questions. If the guidance presupposes a positive situation, users who do not have a very good experience will hesitate to review. Requests with such tones are also categorized as incentive reviews. An example of such an expression is described below.
Examples of expressions that should not be used
The following expressions are examples that may be considered incentive reviews. Using this phrase, the management may take some action, including deleting reviews.
・ “I need your help with development. Please write a comment on the app store.”
・ “App store reviews are the key to growing your business.”
・ ” Our team will work harder if we get a 5 -star rating.”
・ “If you write a good review, you can use the app for free.”
Also, as already mentioned, asking for reviews with inductive questions is prohibited. In the example below, the inductive part is in bold.
” Did this app help your business? Write a review on the Shopify app store and let other merchants know.”
・ ” Are you enjoying this app? Please write a review and let us know .”
・ ” Please tell us why you enjoyed the app! Please leave a review on the Shopify app store and let us know .”
These expressions can make a merchant feel guilty about not leaving a review, or motivate them to leave a dishonest review even if they have a bad experience with the app. In addition, explicitly requesting a five-star or positive review hampers honest and constructive feedback that would otherwise improve and grow your app.
Informed app reviews prove that “every feedback is a gift.” It gives merchants important information and allows developers to find room to improve their apps. Requesting reviews in the right place, at the right time, and in the right way will be a big boost to your app’s growth.
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