You finally shipped the product. Customer got it three days ago. Tracking shows delivered. Now it's time to ask for that sweet, sweet five-star review.
So you blast out a generic "How'd we do?" email to your entire customer list, sit back, and wait for the reviews to pour in.
Simple enough, right?
What an idiot.
Your review request went to the guy whose package showed up crushed, the person who bought it as a gift and never saw it, and the customer who's still waiting for their order because your warehouse mixed up the labels.
You know what else has a 5% response rate? Cold calls during dinner.
Why Most Review Request Emails Get Ignored
Only 5-10% of customers leave reviews naturally. That's a real stat, not something I made up to scare you.
You need to be surgical about WHO you ask, WHEN you ask, and HOW you ask.
Most review request emails fail because they violate at least one of these rules:
Wrong timing. You ask before they've used the product. Or three months later when they forgot they bought from you.
Wrong audience. You ask people who had a bad experience. Or people who bought it as a gift and never touched it.
Wrong approach. You make it complicated. Or you sound desperate. Or you offer a suspicious incentive that makes them think you're buying fake reviews.
Fix these three things and your review rate goes from 5% to 15-25%.
Yep.
Template 1: The Simple Ask (For Happy Customers)
Use this when you KNOW they had a good experience. How? They clicked through your post-purchase email. They bought again. They engaged with your content.
Subject: Quick favor?
Body:
Hey [First Name],
You grabbed [Product Name] a couple weeks back. Hopefully it's working out.
If you've got 60 seconds, a review would help us out. We're a small team and it makes a genuine difference.
[Review Link Button]
If it's not working for you, hit reply and let me know. I'd rather hear about it from you than read about it in a 1-star review.
Thanks, [Your Name]
Why this works: No fluff. No corporate speak. You're asking a favor from someone who already likes you.
When to send: 5-10 days after delivery for physical products. 3-7 days after signup for software.
Segment: Only send to customers with engagement signals (opened post-purchase email, clicked product link, made repeat purchase).
Template 2: The Two-Step Filter (Reduces Bad Reviews)
This one's sneaky. You ask how their experience was FIRST. If they say good, you ask for a review. If they say bad, you route them to customer service.
Email 1 - Subject: How's [Product Name] working out?
Body:
Hey [First Name],
Quick check-in. You've had [Product Name] for about a week now.
How's it going?
[Great Button] [Could be better Button]
If they click "Great":
Redirect to review page with pre-filled positive sentiment. Include copy: "Awesome! Mind sharing that on a review? Takes 30 seconds."
If they click "Could be better":
Redirect to support form. Include copy: "Sorry to hear that. Tell us what's up and we'll make it right."
Why this works: You filter out potential bad reviews before they go public. And you show you actually care about their experience.
When to send: 7 days after delivery or first use.
Warning: Don't be scammy about this. If someone has a legit complaint, fix it. Don't just redirect them to nowhere.
Template 3: The Incentivized Ask (For Low-Engagement Products)
Some products are boring. Printer paper. Phone cases. Socks. People aren't excited to review them naturally.
For these, a small incentive works. But you have to do it RIGHT or you look like you're buying fake reviews.
Subject: Review [Product] → enter to win [Prize]
Body:
Hey [First Name],
You bought [Product Name] last week. We're trying to get more honest feedback on it.
Leave a review (good or bad, we want real opinions) and you're entered to win [reasonable prize - $50 gift card, free product, etc].
[Leave Review Button]
Drawing happens at the end of the month. We'll email the winner.
Why this works: You're not paying FOR a good review. You're incentivizing the ACT of reviewing. Big difference legally and ethically.
When to send: 10-14 days after delivery (give them time to use it).
Prize ideas: Gift card to your store, free product, donation to charity in their name.
Template 4: The VIP Treatment (For High-Value Customers)
Your best customers deserve a different ask. They've bought multiple times. They spend real money. They're already fans.
Subject: Help us help more people like you
Body:
Hey [First Name],
You've been with us for [time period] now. Multiple orders. Zero complaints. You're the kind of customer that makes this job not suck.
We're trying to reach more people who'd appreciate [Product/Service] the way you do.
If you've got 2 minutes to leave a review about your experience, it'd help us find them.
[Review Link]
Not your thing? No worries. Just appreciate you being a customer.
Why this works: You're treating them like the VIP they are. A person whose opinion you genuinely value.
When to send: After their 3rd+ purchase, or for customers who've been with you 6+ months.
Segment: Top 10-20% of customers by LTV or purchase frequency.
Template 5: The Feedback Loop (Turn Detractors Into Data)
Sometimes you need to ask people who DIDN'T have a great experience. Not for a public review. For private feedback you can actually use.
Subject: What went wrong?
Body:
Hey [First Name],
I noticed you returned [Product Name] last week. Or you haven't engaged with it since purchase. Or [specific signal they didn't love it].
I'm not going to ask you to leave a review. That'd be stupid.
But I would like to know what didn't work. Was it the product? The messaging? Did we promise something we didn't deliver?
[Quick 2-Question Survey Link]
Takes 30 seconds. And if there's something we can fix, I'll personally make sure it gets fixed.
Why this works: You're showing humility. You're actually listening. And you're getting data that helps you fix the real problems instead of just collecting fake 5-star reviews.
When to send: After a return, refund request, support ticket, or clear disengagement signal.
What to ask:
- What didn't meet your expectations?
- What would have made this a better experience?
When to Send Each Template
Here's your decision tree:
- Customer had measurable positive engagement? → Template 1 (Simple Ask)
- Uncertain about their experience? → Template 2 (Two-Step Filter)
- Boring or commodity product? → Template 3 (Incentivized)
- Top-tier customer with multiple purchases? → Template 4 (VIP)
- Had a bad experience or disengaged? → Template 5 (Feedback Loop)
Timing by product type:
| Product Type | Wait Time | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Physical products | 5-10 days | They need time to receive and use it |
| Software/SaaS | 3-7 days | Quick to evaluate, but need onboarding time |
| Services | Immediately after completion | Fresh in their mind |
| Consumables | 7-14 days | Time to test effectiveness |
What NOT to Do (Because People Keep Doing This)
Don't ask before they've used the product. I ordered a mattress once and got a review request the same day it shipped. How do I review a mattress I haven't slept on? What are you even doing?
Don't make it hard. If your review process requires creating an account, verifying email, uploading a photo, and writing 500 words, nobody's doing it. One click to the review page. That's it.
Don't ask everyone. Segment. If someone just submitted a support ticket about a broken product, maybe don't ask them to review it 10 minutes later.
Don't sound like a robot. "We would be delighted if you would take a moment to share your valued feedback." Shut up. Talk like a human.
Don't beg. "PLEASE PLEASE leave us a review we're a small business!" makes people uncomfortable. Ask confidently.
Don't offer cash for reviews. It's against most platform terms of service. And it's sketchy. Incentivize the ACT of reviewing (like Template 3), not the CONTENT of the review.
FAQ
How many times should I ask for a review?
Once, maybe twice if they ignored the first one. After that you're being annoying. Send the first ask 5-10 days after delivery. If no response in a week, send ONE follow-up with different subject line. Then stop.
Should I ask for reviews on multiple platforms?
Pick one. Don't ask them to review you on Google, Yelp, Trustpilot, and your website. They'll do none of them. Choose the platform that matters most to your business and send them there.
What if they leave a bad review?
Respond publicly, professionally, and quickly. Show other potential customers that you handle problems well. Then reach out privately to fix it. Most people will update their review if you actually solve the issue.
Can I delete bad reviews?
Not on third-party platforms (and you shouldn't try). On your own website, you can technically delete anything, but it makes you look shady when you only have 5-star reviews. Better to respond to criticism thoughtfully.
What's a good review response rate?
Industry standard is 5-10% without any strategy. With proper segmentation and timing, you can hit 15-25%. If you're getting above 25%, you're either doing something brilliant or something sketchy.
Should I automate these emails?
Yes, but not all of them. Templates 1-3 can be automated based on triggers (delivery confirmation, engagement signals, purchase count). Templates 4-5 should be more personal and might need human review before sending.