The positive side of negative reviews

Let's clear up something a lot of people still haven't realized. Negative reviews can be an ally. In fact, they can end up being even more valuable than a glowing one. Here's why. We all know how much weight online reviews carry, not just for the sales or search ranking of an ecommerce store, but for something called reputation, which is basically what makes people trust you or not. Well, I know plenty of shops that don't offer a review service out of fear of negative reviews, without realizing that having no reviews at all already raises eyebrows, and above all that fearing negative reviews means missing out on every opportunity and benefit the good ones bring. On top of that, the vast majority of online reviews are positive — you'd have to be doing something very wrong for that not to be the case. Customers can do a lot to help you improve your store, and they can spot things you may have overlooked. Listening to them is always a good move. It's like having a free online consultant.

But what do we do when we get a negative review?

As we explained in an earlier article, knowing how to respond to negative reviews is essential. But beyond that, you need to view the review in a positive light and not think about deleting or manipulating the comment. Your customers talk — you can't stop that. If they don't talk on your store, they'll talk on social media, which can be worse. Face it head on. Looking a little more deeply at this kind of review can teach you a lot about your own business. They help more than they hurt.

A negative review is an opportunity

When a bad review comes in, the best thing you can do is see it as a chance to learn. I know that's easy to say, but it's true. An unhappy customer is an opportunity to learn about your own business, and most customers will come back if their issue is resolved quickly and efficiently.

Be grateful

This customer took the time to write you a review — they're actually giving you a good chance to put things right.

Don't run away

Don't run from this kind of thing. We all make mistakes, and so do businesses. Relax — it's not an unforgivable blot on your record. We're human. Customers don't complain that a problem happened; what they normally complain about is that the problem wasn't resolved in a satisfactory way. Remember: to err is human, but to put it right is wise. Keep that in mind.

A fairy-tale company?

We never get tired of saying it: the idea of a mountain of five-star reviews isn't believable. When you do things well, your customers reflect it in their reviews, so there's nothing wrong with having the odd bad review that probably has an easy fix. That said, if you have too many, you need to change some things.

Negative reviews have benefits

Find the positive side of negative reviews

A bad review is a chance to step up and win back that unhappy customer. Instead of assuming they'll never buy from you again, think of it as a great opportunity to make things better. Be humble, but don't grovel. Make it clear that you work hard to keep everything running smoothly, that you're sorry it didn't this time, and that there's probably a reasonable explanation for what happened.

A great opportunity

Handling a bad review is a great opportunity to show that you're a business committed to its work and one that solves problems. It lets you show potential customers how you operate and that you react quickly when things don't go entirely to plan. They'll come to know you as the company that cares about keeping its customers satisfied. And that sells.

Learn from the feedback

This is something that keeps the ecommerce world up at night — it's discussed in talks, conferences, ads. Feedback is highly valued. There are statistics, numbers, heat maps for it. But be clear about one thing: the reviews on your store are the best feedback you can find from your customers. What's more, if you make sure to reply with both the customer who wrote it and the one who's going to read it before deciding to buy in mind, you might just win over both. Putting this information to good use is what makes the difference between coming through a problem unscathed or being overwhelmed by it. If you want a practical walkthrough, see our guide on how to reply to bad reviews. Monitor and manage the feedback on your website and on social media well, to make sure any kind of negative review is resolved quickly. Think your response through carefully and, of course, don't delete the comment — that's a mistake that can trigger something far worse than a bad review.