How to Deal with Negative Amazon Seller Feedback?

Every Amazon seller experiences this at least once in their career – you have recently made a sale and shipped the product. After a few days, you check your seller central account, only to notice that the buyer has left negative Amazon seller feedback.

Receiving negative seller feedback can be a frustrating experience, especially if you have done everything right. In addition, negative feedback can significantly impact your reputation and sales because other potential buyers may be deterred if they see a pattern of negative feedback and reviews on your account. A low seller rate also makes the seller ineligible to win the Buy Box, reducing sales. However, it's important to note that not all negative feedback is necessarily accurate or fair, and there are ways to deal with Amazon seller feedback.

Keep reading to learn how to defend yourself and respond to or remove negative feedback on Amazon when needed.

Understanding Negative Seller Feedback

Negative seller feedback on Amazon is feedback customers leave regarding their experience with a third-party seller on the marketplace. Seller feedback can contain comments about the product’s quality, the shipping and delivery process, and the customer service provided by the seller. It allows buyers to share their satisfaction or dissatisfaction with any aspect of their transaction with the seller.

Customers who leave negative seller feedback may provide specific details about their problems, such as receiving damaged goods, delayed shipping, or unresponsive customer support. The feedback can be viewed by other potential customers, revealing information about the reputation and reliability of sellers. More importantly, seller feedback is one of Amazon’s metrics to determine whether a seller can win the Buy Box.

It’s important to note that negative Amazon seller feedback differs from product reviews. Product reviews are feedback left by customers specifically about the product they purchased, regardless of who the seller is. Product reviews do not impact the seller’s reputation directly, but seller feedback is focused on the seller’s performance and can significantly impact the buyers’ decision. You can read our Amazon seller feedback guide for more information.  

Some customers mistake these two, leaving a product review instead of seller feedback. You can see an example of this in the first and third comments on the image below: 

Common Reasons for Negative Feedback

Various reasons can cause negative seller feedback, and the best way to resolve them is by categorizing these reasons and developing specific strategies for confronting each one. Even then, sellers may not be able to resolve all issues, but at least they can control the damage. Here are the most common reasons for negative seller feedback on Amazon:

• Product quality: Products that are made with low quality and lead to returns and negative feedback, or products that have a decent quality but inadequate packaging and the buyer did not receive them in good condition.

• Shipping and delivery: late deliveries, shipment tracking issues, and packages getting lost in transit

• Customer service:  the seller provides unresponsive or unhelpful customer support, makes it difficult to obtain refunds or replacements, or does not assist the buyer in resolving issues.

• Slow or no refunds/returns: the customer initiates a return or refund request, but the seller fails to respond promptly or delays the process

• Slow or ineffective resolution of issues: the customer has an issue with a product or delivery, and they expect the seller to resolve it quickly and effectively, but the seller fails to do so

• Counterfeit or inauthentic products: offering counterfeit or inauthentic products

• Misleading product information:  inaccurate product descriptions, features, or specifications. This includes false claims, missing details, or exaggerated advertising.

• Seller policy or terms: the customer disagrees with the seller’s policies or terms, such as restrictive or unfair return policies 

The Impact of Negative Feedback on Your Amazon Business

Negative Amazon seller feedback can have significant consequences for your business. Firstly, negative feedback can erode customer trust and lead to declining sales. Seller feedback and product reviews are usually the first things potential buyers check when purchasing. A low feedback rating due to negative reviews can deter them from buying from the seller.

On the other hand, negative feedback can lead to decreased Buy Box eligibility. The Buy Box is where most purchases happen, and Amazon considers many metrics when deciding if a seller is eligible for the position – one of which includes seller feedback. Negative feedback can also harm a seller’s reputation on Amazon, causing potential customers to perceive the seller as untrustworthy or unreliable. Repetitively receiving negative feedback can lead to Amazon seller account suspension. 

Responding to Negative Seller Feedback

Responding to negative Amazon seller feedback is essential to managing your reputation as a seller. It is a great way to show potential customers that you take their complaints seriously and are ready to take action. Here are some steps for responding to negative seller feedback on Amazon:

Step 1: Assess the Feedback Objectively

First, you should read and assess the feedback from the customer’s perspective instead of yourself. To do this, take time to read the feedback thoroughly, pay attention to specific details provided by the customer, and try to put yourself in their shoes. Empathizing with the customer and understanding their perspective can help you approach the feedback with an open mind.

Step 2: Determine the Root Cause of the Issue

Determining the root cause of negative Amazon seller feedback requires a systematic approach and thorough analysis. You need to understand what aspect of your business has caused the dissatisfaction. Why did the customer leave that feedback? Where did you go wrong, and what could have been done better? The goal of this step is to understand the mistake you have made to cause the issue.

Step 3: Craft a Professional and Empathetic Response

When writing a response to negative feedback, it’s essential to address the customer’s concerns while maintaining a respectful and empathetic tone. Begin your answer with a greeting, and express gratitude for the customer’s feedback.

Then, empathize with the customer, acknowledge their frustration, and assure them that you genuinely care about their concerns. Clearly and directly address the issue, and show the customer that you have thoroughly investigated the matter. Apologize, take responsibility for any mistakes or shortcomings, and present a solution or offer to resolve the issue to the best of your ability. End the response on a positive note and a reassuring statement, expressing your hope that the customer will give you another opportunity to serve them better.

Doing this will not cause the feedback to be deleted, but at least it can show potential buyers that you are a professional and genuinely care about your customers. 

Step 4: Implement Changes Based on the Feedback

Last but not least, review and analyze all the negative Amazon seller feedback to identify common themes, recurring issues, or areas that require improvement. Begin executing the changes and monitor progress closely to address any challenges that may arise along the way. If the changes directly impact customers, communicate the updates or improvements. Clear communication can help rebuild trust and show your commitment to customer satisfaction.

Proactively Preventing Negative Feedback

Preventing customers from leaving negative seller feedback requires a proactive approach to customer satisfaction and continuous improvement. You must try to receive as many positive reviews as you can so that the negative reviews have less impact on your overall seller rating. Check out our Amazon seller feedback ultimate guide for tips on how to improve your feedback score. 

Here are some strategies to help you prevent negative seller feedback:

Avoid Problematic Items 

Avoid products with low review ratings. For example, if a product has a review rating of 3, it means there is a good chance that buyers are not satisfied with their purchase. Therefore, there is a high chance that buyers request a return or refund. This can potentially lead to negative reviews, so it’s best to avoid such products. 

Avoid Counterfeit or Defective Products

Avoiding counterfeit or defective items is one of the essential strategies for preventing negative Amazon seller feedback. When sourcing products, ensure they come from authorized distributors or manufacturers. Avoid sourcing from questionable or unauthorized sellers, as their products may be counterfeit, damaged, or low-quality.

Be Careful About Delivery Time if Using FBM

If you use the Amazon FBM (Fulfillment by Merchant) method for handling orders, you must ensure delivery times are met. To do this, set realistic handling and shipping times by considering factors such as processing time, packaging, and handover to the shipping carrier. Speaking of shipping carriers, select a reputable carrier known for its reliable and timely delivery services.

Always provide customers with tracking information for their orders so they can monitor the progress of their shipments. Monitor the status of shipments to ensure they are progressing as expected. Maintain open lines of communication with customers and keep them informed about the progress of their orders.

Offer Top-Notch Customer Service

By offering top-notch customer services, you cannot only prevent negative Amazon seller feedback but also build customer loyalty and maintain a positive reputation. To do this, you must respond to customer inquiries, messages, and concerns immediately. Practice active listening when interacting with customers, and demonstrate empathy and respect in all customer interactions.

Develop a deep understanding of your products, including their features, benefits, usage, and potential limitations. Take ownership of customer issues and strive to resolve them effectively.

Learn From your and Other Sellers’ Experiences

Last but not least, you must continuously repeat the process of determining the root cause of the issue and trying to resolve or control it whenever you receive negative feedback. Eventually, you will get a better grip on the situation and can confront negative feedback more easily. You must also keep yourself updated and keep in touch with other sellers so that you can learn from similar experiences.

Requesting Removal of Ineligible Feedback

Negative Amazon seller feedback is only sometimes fair or honest. In such cases, you can identify ineligible feedback and request removal from Amazon. Here’s how to remove negative reviews on Amazon:

Identify Feedback That Violates Amazon’s Guidelines

Start by reviewing Amazon’s guidelines on feedback removal. These guidelines determine what types of feedback are inappropriate or violate Amazon’s policies. Then, carefully read the feedback and analyze its content to find any elements that potentially violate Amazon’s guidelines – such as feedback related to delivery in the case of FBA sellers or product reviews mistakenly posted instead of seller feedback.

If you are unsure whether specific feedback violates Amazon’s policies, contact Amazon Seller Support for clarification.

Request Feedback Removal from Amazon

If you are sure that the negative Amazon seller feedback violates Amazon’s policies, you can take the steps below to request feedback removal from Amazon:

1. Log in to your seller central account. Go to the “Performance” tab in seller central.

2. Under the Performance tab, select “Feedback.”

3. Find the specific feedback you believe violates Amazon’s guidelines.

4. Click the “Request Removal” button next to the feedback entry.

5. Select the appropriate reason for requesting removal.

6. In the text box, explain clearly and concisely why you believe the feedback should be removed. Include any supporting evidence or details that may help Amazon understand your request.

7. Monitor your email and seller central messages for any communication from Amazon regarding your request.

Final Thoughts

Dealing with negative Amazon seller feedback requires a proactive and customer-centric approach. Although negative feedback can be challenging, it can also be an opportunity. Acknowledging negative feedback can show buyers that you genuinely care about their concerns. Remember to continuously address customers with respect and empathy and put yourself in their shoes. Last but not least, constantly monitor feedback and respond to buyers as soon as possible.