How to Ask for Reviews by Email: Templates and Examples 2026

2026 update: asking for reviews by email is still one of the most effective ways to grow verified reviews, but the result depends on timing, tone and a clear CTA. The goal isn't to send more emails without a plan, but to ask for feedback once the customer has received the order and the experience is still fresh.

This guide is the tactical piece of the cluster: templates, structure and examples for requesting reviews. If you're after a broader view of post-purchase email and customer experience, take a look at our guide to post-purchase emails for improving experience and reviews.

Checklist before asking for a review by email

• Send the email after delivery or once the order is marked as completed.
• Personalise the name, product or order whenever possible.
• Use a direct subject line, without promising misleading incentives.
• Include a single, visible CTA to leave the review.
• Explain that the review helps other shoppers and helps you improve your service.
• Set up a moderate reminder if the customer doesn't reply.

Email templates for asking for reviews

Short post-purchase template

Subject: How did your order go?

Hi [name]. We hope you're already enjoying your purchase. Would you help us out by leaving a review? It only takes a minute and it helps other customers shop with more confidence.

Product review template

Subject: Your experience with [product] matters

Hi [name]. We'd love to know how your experience with [product] has been. Your review helps us improve and lets other shoppers see real opinions before they choose.

Reminder template

Subject: Would you leave us your review?

Hi [name]. Just a quick reminder that you can rate your purchase whenever you have a minute. Thanks for helping us improve the shopping experience.

With Revi you can automate these emails from review management for ecommerce and connect them with integrations such as WooCommerce or PrestaShop.

Customer reviews can help other shoppers who are weighing up a product decide whether it's worth buying. If the reviews are positive, they can translate into a significant boost in sales for the store, so encouraging feedback from your customers is a very smart bet.

Reviews are a key marketing tool, because other users see them as authentic, highly valuable experiences from customers who have already bought and tried that product and, therefore, have already trusted that store.

For people searching for a product in a store, reviews carry more weight than all your marketing efforts combined.

Getting customers to reply to review request emails can take a lot of work. As both senders and recipients of this kind of message, we know that people tend to be reluctant to fill in anything that resembles a survey. That said, these formats have changed in recent years and are now fully automated and very quick and easy to complete.

Even so, before a customer who has made a purchase fills in that rating and leaves their review, we have to achieve something even harder: catching their attention in the inbox.

Digital life today comes with a flood of emails that never seems to end. Random companies you don't remember giving your address to, notifications, requests, updates… all jumbled together in your inbox.

There are a few basic tips that can help you increase the chances of being seen and read amid all that clutter, and that encourage people to open your email.

How to write a good email subject line to get more reviews

1. Include specific, personalised information

The content and purpose of the email should be clear from the subject line. Make sure it's useful for your customers and personalise it for them. Think about what they'll gain by sharing their review.

For example, "helping us helps you too" could be the idea running through your whole email, since feedback improves the experience for every customer.

With that in mind, you can use clear, simple subject lines like "What do you think of your latest order?" or "We'd love to hear your thoughts on your latest order", as well as others that focus more on the customer's own interests. For example: "Your feedback helps us give you better service".

Using time or place to create a connection can also be a good option. A subject line like "Tell us about yesterday's purchase" sparks curiosity through personalisation and helps widen the chances that your customers will leave their reviews.

2. Appeal to people's emotions

For instant decisions like whether or not to open an email, connecting with people on an emotional level is very effective. That means leaning into empathy, putting yourself in the customer's shoes, and focusing on the desire to make a difference. An example of a subject line following this approach would be: "You have the power to enjoy a better experience".

If the subject line is more rational, the obstacle that comes up is that customers' minds have to be engaged and motivated enough to want to process the information right then. If not, they'll simply choose to ignore it.

Emotion, on the other hand, appeals to the subconscious, which takes shortcuts to avoid evaluating information and taps into previously learned emotions and instincts to speed up the decision-making process.

On top of that, customers like to feel important and to know how much their trust means to your business, so it doesn't hurt to remind them. From that angle, some subject lines that can work for you are: "Your feedback makes us better", "your opinion matters to us", "we want to hear what you think" or "your review changes everything".

3. Ask questions

People like being asked, because we all like to feel heard. Anything that sparks people's desire to share their opinion is the key here. "What do you think we should do next?" or "What would you highlight about your latest order?" can be good examples.

4. Use incentives

A subject line that never fails is one that includes an incentive in the form of a discount, gift or perk of any kind for the customer in exchange for their review. For example: "Get X% off for leaving your review".

5. Don't lie

It's essential that the subject line matches the content of the message. While you do need to grab attention and make customers want to read the email, if they find no consistency when they open it, they'll lose interest.

6. Keep it short

It's important that the subject line isn't too long, because in many cases people stop reading after 50 characters.

That said, it's not an absolute rule, and if you think your customers will receive a longer subject line just fine, you should give it a try.

However, unless it's an email aimed at customers who are more or less expecting it, giving more information usually means reaching a smaller audience.

How to write the copy of an email to get more reviews

As for the copy, you can follow the same principles as for the subject line, but bearing in mind that it's a slightly longer text that the customer may pay less attention to or, on the contrary, dig deeper into to look for detailed information.

So the text should strike a balance between the necessary information and an appealing structure. Here's an example:

"You recently placed an order in our store. We'd love to hear your thoughts on the product, the delivery or our customer service. That way, you help other shoppers make up their minds and you help us improve with every piece of feedback."

Don't follow this advice to the letter — test things yourself

These principles are a guide for creating good email subject lines and for getting your customers to, among other things, leave their reviews. Not all of them can or should be applied to every type of email; they may even take a back seat if you find others that work better for you.

Every business and its customers are different, and finding what works and what doesn't is a matter of testing and learning what connects best with your audience.

More than the content, testing is the key. And you shouldn't only test subject lines; make sure you also test days of the week and times of day to see which are most effective for getting reviews, since a good subject line can be undermined by being sent at the wrong time.

There you have some of the fundamentals. Now it's your turn to discover how to improve your email open rates and get better reviews from your customers.

Frequently asked questions about review request emails

When is the best time to send the email asking for a review?

The best approach is to send it once the customer has received the order and can assess the real experience. In ecommerce, this usually lines up with statuses such as shipped, delivered or completed.

How many reminders should I send?

Usually one reminder is enough. More touchpoints can increase responses in the short term, but they can also worsen the experience if the customer perceives it as pressure.

Which CTA works best for getting reviews?

A clear, single CTA, such as “Leave my review” or “Rate my purchase”. Avoid mixing it with promotions, long surveys or other goals within the same email.