Amazon Merch: Reviewing T-Shirt Designs For Success

Amazon's Merch by Amazon is a print-on-demand platform that lets individuals sell their own products by adding their designs to various items, including t-shirts, hoodies, phone covers, and pillows. The platform is invite-only, and sellers must apply and be approved by Amazon before they can start selling. One of the key aspects of selling on Merch by Amazon is understanding product reviews, as they can significantly impact a product's sales performance. Positive reviews can boost sales, while negative reviews can deter potential customers. Additionally, sellers on the platform need to pay attention to the Best Sellers Rank (BSR) to identify niches with low competition and high sales potential.

The importance of reviews

Reviews are an essential aspect of the Merch by Amazon platform, influencing customer buying decisions and the success of your t-shirt designs. Here's why reviews are crucial:

Customer Buying Decisions:

Reviews play a significant role in shaping customer behaviour and choices. When customers search for products on Amazon, they often rely on reviews and ratings to make informed decisions. Positive reviews can build trust and encourage potential buyers to choose your design over others. On the other hand, negative reviews can deter customers from purchasing your product. Understanding this dynamic is essential for maximising sales and ensuring customer satisfaction.

Social Proof:

A single 5-star review can significantly impact your sales performance. Buyers often seek social proof before making a purchase, and a positive review provides that validation. As highlighted in one of the sources, a customer named Mark is more likely to choose a t-shirt with a positive review over one without any reviews. This demonstrates the power of social proof in influencing buying behaviour.

Feedback and Improvement:

Reviews offer valuable feedback on your designs and can help identify areas for improvement. For instance, if multiple reviews mention issues with printing quality, such as designs being crooked or off-centre, you can make the necessary adjustments in Photoshop. By addressing customer concerns, you can enhance your designs and create a better product.

Building a Successful Brand:

Regularly reviewing customer feedback allows you to identify your top-selling designs and understand what resonates with buyers. This insight can guide your future design choices and marketing strategies. By focusing on creating high-quality, appealing designs and leveraging positive reviews, you can build a successful brand on the Merch by Amazon platform.

Standing Out in a Competitive Market:

The Merch by Amazon marketplace is highly competitive, with numerous designers and sellers vying for attention. Reviews can help your products stand out from the crowd. A t-shirt with several positive reviews is more likely to catch a buyer's eye than one with no reviews. Additionally, positive reviews can boost your search result rankings, making your designs more visible to potential customers.

In summary, reviews are vital for understanding customer preferences, improving your designs, and increasing sales on the Merch by Amazon platform. By actively monitoring and analysing reviews, you can make data-driven decisions to enhance your brand and maximise success in this competitive marketplace.

How to check your t-shirt reviews

Checking reviews for your T-shirt designs on Merch by Amazon is a straightforward process, but it can be time-consuming if you have a lot of designs. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to check your T-shirt reviews:

Step 1: Log into Your Merch Account

Go to the Merch by Amazon website and log into your account. Make sure you are logged in with the same credentials associated with your Merch by Amazon account.

Step 2: Navigate to the "Manage" Section

Once you are logged in, click on the "Manage" tab in the Merch by Amazon dashboard. This will allow you to manage your existing designs and view their performance.

Step 3: Change the Filter to "Live"

In the "Manage" section, you will see a filter option. Change the filter to "LIVE" to display only your live designs, which are the ones that are currently available for purchase and have the potential to receive reviews.

Step 4: Change the Number of Results per Page

By default, the Merch by Amazon dashboard displays a limited number of designs per page. To save time, scroll to the bottom of the page and change the dropdown to 100 results per page. This is the maximum number of items that can be displayed per page. If you have more than 100 designs, you will need to repeat the process for each page.

Step 5: Open All the Links Using Linkclump

Linkclump is a browser extension for Google Chrome that allows you to open multiple links at the same time. With the Linkclump extension installed, right-click and hold, then drag all the way from the top design to the bottom of the page. Linkclump will open each of your designs in a new browser tab.

Step 6: Check Each Tab for Reviews

Now that each of your designs is opened in a new tab, go through each tab to check for reviews. If a design doesn't have any reviews, close the tab and move on to the next one. If it has a positive review, make a note of the design and keep an eye on its sales performance.

Step 7: Pin Tabs with Negative Reviews

If you come across a design with a negative review, pin that tab to the top of your browser by right-clicking on the tab and selecting "Pin Tab." This will keep the tab open even if you close your browser. Pinning these tabs will allow you to review them later and decide whether to keep the design live or make changes.

Step 8: Analyze and Decide on Next Steps

After checking all your designs, you might find that some have negative reviews. At this point, you need to decide what to do with these designs. Consider whether the issue mentioned in the review is something you can easily fix, such as adjusting the design in Photoshop if the review mentions issues like a crooked or off-center print.

For negative reviews related to shipping times, vinegar smell, wrong size, or other issues outside your control, you may want to contact Amazon to see if they can remove the review. Keep in mind that bad reviews can impact future sales. If Amazon doesn't respond or resolve the issue, you can always remove the design and re-upload it, but keep in mind that you will lose all BSR and sales associated with that design.

Checking Reviews Regularly

While you don't need to make review-checking a daily or weekly routine, it is a good idea to check your reviews periodically. Positive reviews can significantly impact your sales, so keeping an eye on customer feedback can help you identify designs that are performing well and double down on those to increase your monthly sales.

How to get reviews

Amazon reviews are crucial for driving purchases and boosting sales. Here are some tips on how to get reviews for your T-shirt designs on Merch by Amazon:

Provide a High-Quality Product

Start by ensuring that your T-shirt designs are of excellent quality and interesting. Ask yourself, "Would people recommend this product to their friends?". If the answer is no, then you shouldn't expect people to leave positive reviews.

Ask for Reviews

Amazon allows sellers to manually request reviews for each order within 4 to 30 days of purchase using the "Request a Review" button. While this can be time-consuming, it is a powerful feature that can significantly increase your chances of receiving reviews. You can also use review automation software, such as Jungle Scout's Review Automation feature or eDesk Feedback, to send personalized review requests in bulk. These tools allow you to target customers who are more likely to write positive reviews and customize your messages with your brand's voice and logo.

Enroll in Amazon Vine

Consider enrolling your products in the Amazon Vine Program, which is open to sellers with brand-registered products and fewer than 30 reviews. In this program, sellers submit 30 units of inventory, and Vine reviewers receive the products for free, test them, and write reviews. Amazon Vine is a quick way to get reviews for new products, as it targets influential reviewers who provide detailed and insightful feedback.

Utilize Product Inserts

Include a card or insert in your product packaging, asking shoppers to leave a review on Amazon. When creating your product insert, remain neutral and avoid asking for positive reviews only. Provide useful information about your company and product, such as tips on how to use the item correctly.

Provide Excellent Customer Service

Respond promptly and effectively to customer queries and issues. When your customer service team resolves an issue, it's a great time to ask the customer for a review. Even if a customer returns a product, they can still review your customer service experience. By providing excellent customer service, you can increase the likelihood of receiving positive reviews.

Use Social Media and Promotions

Promote your products through social media networks and Amazon PPC campaigns. You can also offer discounts and special promotions to your customers. While you can't ask for reviews in exchange for discounts, you can include a request for reviews in your promotional emails.

Track and Respond to Reviews

Stay alert and track your reviews to quickly address any negative feedback. Respond to customer reviews, especially negative ones, in a timely and respectful manner. Apologize for any issues and provide solutions or additional resources to improve their experience with your product.

How to spot fake reviews

Merch by Amazon is a print-on-demand platform that lets individuals sell their own products on Amazon by adding their own designs. Amazon receives a royalty from each sale. While the platform is lucrative, approval can be challenging.

• Check for the 'Verified Purchase' tag. While this isn't a foolproof method, it's a good starting point. If a review doesn't have this tag, skip it and read another one. Be wary of multiple reviews, verified or not, posted within a few weeks—this could indicate an incentive was offered or a bulk scam to inflate ratings.
• Scrutinize the review headlines. Fake reviews often use generic words like "good", "bad", "amazing", etc. Genuine reviews tend to be more detailed and may include both positives and negatives.
• Read reviews with a critical eye. Fake reviews often lack detail, keeping paragraphs short. A genuine review is more likely to include specifics such as shipping experience, packaging details, and the pros and cons of the product. They may also include photos or videos if there are issues with the physical product.
• Look for broken English in the reviews. Paid reviewers may not be fluent in English, leading to grammatical errors and spelling mistakes.
• Be cautious if you see similar words and phrases in multiple reviews. Sellers often create templates of words and phrases for reviewers to use, so if you notice a pattern, the reviews may not be authentic.
• Check the timestamps of the reviews. Fake reviews are often bought in bulk and posted in quick succession, so a glut of positive reviews posted over a short period is a red flag.
• Compare the product's popularity with the number of reviews. If an unknown product has an unusually high number of rave reviews, they may be fake.
• Check the reviewer's profile. Click on the reviewer's name to see their profile picture and review history. If they are consistently posting multiple reviews per week, all with 5-star or 1-star ratings and generic language, they are likely a fake reviewer.
• Use third-party websites to detect fake reviews. Tools like Fakespot, ReviewMeta, or The Review Index analyze reviews and provide an adjusted rating. These sites can show unverified reviews, potential spam, and an overall score for the product.

By following these steps, you can make more informed decisions when purchasing products on Amazon and avoid falling prey to fake reviews.

How to respond to negative reviews

Responding to negative reviews is an inevitable part of selling products online, and T-shirts are no exception. Here are some tips on how to respond to negative reviews for T-shirt designs on Amazon Merch:

• Stay calm and professional: It can be disheartening to receive a negative review, but it's important to maintain a professional tone in your response. Avoid getting defensive or argumentative. Thank the customer for their feedback and address their concerns calmly and respectfully.
• Apologize and take responsibility: Express sincere apologies for the customer's negative experience. Own the issue and let the customer know that you are committed to resolving it. For example, you can say, "We're sorry to hear that our T-shirt design did not meet your expectations. We want to make sure all our customers are happy with their purchase, so we'd like to make things right."
• Address specific concerns: Read the negative review carefully and try to understand the customer's perspective. Address their specific concerns directly in your response. For instance, if they mention a problem with the print quality, assure them that you will work with your team to improve print quality in future designs.
• Offer a solution: Provide a solution to the customer's issue, such as a refund, replacement, or exchange. Make sure the solution is reasonable and aligns with your company's policies. For example, you can say, "We would be happy to offer you a full refund for the T-shirt. Please contact our customer support team to initiate the process."
• Learn from the feedback: Negative reviews can be an opportunity to improve your products and services. Take the feedback into account and make any necessary adjustments to your T-shirt designs, production processes, or customer service approaches. Remember that your goal is to continuously enhance the customer experience.
• Encourage further communication: Invite the customer to contact you directly to discuss their concerns further or to provide additional feedback. This shows that you value their input and are committed to making things right. For example, you can say, "We would appreciate the opportunity to discuss this further and ensure your satisfaction. Please feel free to reach out to us directly through our customer support channels."

Remember, responding to negative reviews is an opportunity to showcase your commitment to customer satisfaction and to turn a disappointed customer into a loyal advocate for your brand.

Frequently asked questions