How to Report an Abusive Review to Amazon

As both a consumer and an entrepreneur, you know that reviews matter - a lot. The quality and number of reviews you receive can greatly impact your overall success.

Here's something else that you probably already know to be true: In business, it's virtually impossible to keep every single buyer happy. Some customers may have bad experiences. And while these buyers have the right to share their opinion with others, this doesn't mean that you should accept scrutiny that is unreasonable or mean-spirited.

If you spot a customer review that you feel is abusive, Amazon encourages you to report those violating the policies or applicable law.

But in addition to being upsetting, it can also be confusing to navigate the process. This post will guide you through how to report abuse in your Amazon reviews.

Know the Rules and Report Abuse in Your Amazon Review Comments

Since reviews are important to the ecosystem of the Amazon marketplace, Amazon strongly encourages buyers to share their experiences with products and services. They do not, however, allow them to post “abusive or inappropriate feedback,” nor can they share “personal information about a transaction partner.”

The reality is that you may receive a negative review from time to time. In those moments, think about what your customer has said and consider the ways in which you can improve the customer experience. If there’s no merit to the comments, you should immediately take action to protect your reputation. It's one of your brand's biggest assets.

Get familiar with the Community Guidelines so that you know what Amazon allows. If you think a buyer has failed to comply with these policies, you can click the Report Abuse link next to the review.

Gather the Amazon Review Abuse Details

While much of the process is automated by Amazon, you should take a moment to think about the situation. Have you had any interactions with the customer? Did you reply to their messages or offer to do something but never followed up? Life can get busy and we all make mistakes.

If you look through everything and still believe that their review is unfair or abusive, make note of any exchanges and include this information when you click the Amazon review report abuse link.

Amazon provides detailed instructions for how to report other kinds of violations, too. Go to the Report Abuse page and select the type of violation that has occurred (for example, an abusive message was sent to you by a buyer or you suspect the seller feedback you just received isn't compliant). Follow Amazon's recommended course of action.

When you have the opportunity to explain the situation to Amazon, avoid getting emotional or sharing opinions. Instead, clearly state the facts and include any of the details you have already gathered, like the Order ID, ASIN, buyer name, etc. It’s also really important to be honest about any communication you’ve had with the customer.

Related Reading: How to Remove Negative Feedback on Amazon

Monitor Your Amazon Reviews

If you’ve ever been surprised by bad reviews from your customers, you know that it’s a terrible feeling. One of the best things you can do is to be proactive about monitoring your product reviews and seller feedback for negative comments. Report Amazon review abuse so it doesn't tarnish your reputation!

Not all Amazon buyers will leave ratings, but someone who’s had a bad experience is often much more motivated to do so. One way to address this dynamic is to regularly request feedback and reviews from customers since a large number of positive comments will drown out the one naysayer.

Tools such as FeedbackFive can help you take control of your online reputation. You can automate the process of sending feedback and review requests and even choose to be notified when you receive a negative review so you can take action right away. Plus, flexible product review monitoring plans make it easier than ever to stay in tune with what people are saying about your products.

Be Proactive About Getting More Reviews

Amazon merchants understand the importance of building a brand as a trustworthy online retailer. One of the most powerful things you can do is give your loyal customers the opportunity to share their experiences with the products and services they’ve received.

It’s time-consuming to ask for customer reviews but the right software can do this for you in seconds. FeedbackFive is the industry’s leading feedback and review management tool, trusted by sellers in more than 100 countries worldwide.