Today, it is unthinkable to shop online without reading a user review. As a few sellers publish reviews unethically, consumers have begun viewing the authenticity of product reviews with a skeptical lens. The Amazon Vine program is a ray of hope for brand owners who need reviews to authenticate their products fairly in the marketplace.
According to the 2023 Shopper Experience Index commissioned by Bazaarvoice from Deloitte and Touche LLP, shoppers are increasingly relying on user-generated content at every stage of their shopping.
From discovery to purchase, reviews, ratings, and photos posted by users hold much value to prospective buyers. 60% of the surveyees said they also value negative reviews in their buying decisions as they include both pros and cons.
What is the Amazon Vine Program?
The Amazon Vine Program is a review incentive provided by Amazon to its sellers who have enrolled in the Brand Registry.
The purpose of the Amazon Vine Review initiative is to help sellers:
- Generate early reviews for their new products
- Introduce the product to the world through genuine users
Amazon invites reviewers to be their ‘Vine Voices’ based on the quality of their reviews and the helpfulness they have lent to shoppers in the past. In exchange for an honest and unbiased review, the reviewers receive the product for free. Thus, this incentive program benefits both the reviewers and the sellers.
Amazon Vine reviews appear alongside other reviews. The badge “Vine Customer Review of Free Product” distinguishes them from other reviews.
Who Can Join the Amazon Vine Program?
Amazon Vine Program is a unique feature that is provided to sellers enrolled in the Brand Registry. Eligible sellers ready to enroll in this program have to meet the following conditions:
- The fulfillment must be an FBA offer
- The products should be in ‘new’ condition
- The inventory must be available in stock
- The items should not belong to the adult category
- The listing should have fewer than 30 reviews on a listing
- The listing must be live online with at least one image and a description
How Many Reviews Can a Product Receive From Amazon Vine Voices?
At a time, up to 200 ASINs can be enrolled in the program. The maximum threshold of reviews a product can receive in this program is up to 30 reviews.
For example, if a seller has 2 reviews for a product when joining the Amazon Vine program, the seller can receive an additional 28 reviews from Vine Voices. When a listing reaches the 30 threshold, the seller is unenrolled from the program.
What is the Seller Fee for Enrolling in the Amazon Vine Program?
Since its launch in 2007, the Amazon Vine program has drawn the interest of vendors. Over the years, the program has undergone many amendments.
Amazon updated the program’s fee in the last update, released in 2023. Sellers have to pay a one-time enrollment fee per parent ASIN. The fee is $75 for enrolling 3-10 units and $200 for enrolling 10-30 units.
What is the Process of the Amazon Vine Program For Sellers?
To begin the enrollment, a brand-registered seller visits Amazon Seller Central and proceeds to the advertising tab, which leads to the Vine tab. From here, the seller is directed to a page where they can add the products’ ASIN numbers.
During the enrollment stage, sellers must ensure the product description and features listed on the detailed product page are accurate. If the Vine Voice reviewer spots any discrepancy, they might mention it in their review, which, once published, cannot be removed.
Optimizing the content on the product’s detailed page can avoid costly mistakes. A digital shelf analytics provider such as MetricsCart can assist sellers in effectively monitoring competitor listings to ensure their listings are not missing out on anything important.
Steps in the Amazon Vine Program
Once enrollment is complete, the seller must wait over a month to enjoy the program’s benefits. Here is what happens in the meantime:
Step 1: Post-enrollment, the seller ships the product samples to Amazon
Step 2: Amazon lists the sample products for voice members to order
Step 3: Amazon sends the products to voices who show interest in the item
Step 4: Voice members use the product for 4-8 weeks and send their reviews
Step 5: Seller pays Amazon after the product receives its first Vine review
Step 6: Reviews generate awareness and sales
Pros and Cons of the Amazon Vine Program
Amazon claims that the brands that enrolled in its Vine program have received a 30% boost in sales. Customers like the detailed, unbiased, actionable feedback shared by Vine Voices.
Here is an example of a positive ‘Vine Customer Review’ for a camera lens protector for Oculus Meta Quest 3 from the brand Deholto. Though the review highlights the product’s positives and gives it a 4-star rating, it mentions that the product is pricey. This is probably the reason a person found this review helpful.
Pros of the Vine Program
- Amazon Vine helps sellers struggling to get initial reviews
- Getting a number of reviews and ratings improves discoverability on the search results
- Vine reviews build customer trust and influence purchase decisions when the category has a wide range of choices
- If competitors are not brand-registered, listings of brands having Vine reviews give it a head start in traffic
- Products that gather a lot of insightful positive reviews may help to improve brand reputation
- Reviews provide the momentum to boost conversions and best-seller ranking
Not all customers have the same opinion about a product. Here are two negative reviews that the product received, one from a Vine customer and another from a regular verified customer. While the verified customer review says the product is flimsy, the Vine customer review explains the rim material is thin, and the price does not justify its value offering.
Cons of Vine Program
- The program doesn’t guarantee positive reviews
- The seller cannot remove a negative review
- The reviewers’ identity is anonymous to sellers
- Products have to be given free for review
Effect on Reviews & Ratings For a Brand Enrolled in the Amazon Vine Program
Though the Vine reviewers’ responses to the product were mixed, the Deholto camera lens protector for the Oculus Meta Quest 3 currently has a 4.4-star rating.
If brands receive negative Vine reviews, they can constructively use the feedback to improve the product.
READ MORE | How can review monitoring help brands manage their credibility across marketplaces? Learn from Product Rating and Review Monitoring on the Digital Shelf
Closing Thoughts
An online review can make or break a brand. Encouraging customers to share feedback after selling a product online is a best practice sellers can follow. If a seller is confident in the value of their product, it is worth investing in the Amazon Vine program to gain visibility and boost sales.
Contact MetricsCart for a demo on how we manage brands’ online reputation effectively by analyzing reviews and ratings.
