Key Points.

• Customer reviews can influence buying decisions and impact your shop’s reputation.
• Understanding our review process makes it easier to manage feedback and improve your business.
• Negative reviews can affect your shop and are measured using the Negative Review Rate (NRR).
• Avoid negative reviews by offering high-quality products, fast shipping, and excellent customer service.

This article, which applies to all sellers on TikTok Shop, explains the customer review process and offers best practices for improving reviews.
Reviews provide key insights into a product’s quality, functionality, and overall customer satisfaction. They typically include the customer's opinion, feedback, and rating based on their experience with the product.

Why Customer Reviews Are Important

Customer reviews are essential for your shop. They can:

• Guide purchasing decisions and help customers make informed choices.
• Enhance your shop’s reputation and show product quality, leading to increased sales.
• Damage your shop’s reputation and reduce sales, if negative.

Understanding the Customer Review Process

Submitting a Review

• Only customers who have purchased a product through TikTok Shop can leave a review after the product is delivered.
  • Customers will receive reminders through the TikTok Shop app to review their purchased products.
  • Reviews must be submitted within 60 days of the order status being marked as "Delivered".
  • Customers can edit or delete their reviews any time after submission.
• A customer review always includes a rating. Some reviews require text, while videos or images are optional.
• Customers can leave a review for each specific product that they purchased.

Displaying Customer Reviews

• All submitted reviews are publicly visible on the product's page and the seller's profile.
• Reviews will remain visible even if the product is fully refunded.
• Reviews should not display personal data such as buyers' names, personal information, or photos containing their image.
• TikTok Shop monitors reviews to ensure they follow our Community Guidelines.

Integrating Third-Party Reviews

• If you have a Yotpo account, you can integrate reviews from third-party platforms. Follow these steps to add third-party reviews to your listings:
  • Access your Seller Center, then go to Products > Products Rating > Import third-party product reviews.
  • Select Authorize to allow TikTok Shop to access your Yotpo account and retrieve your customer reviews.
  • You will then be prompted to log in to your Yotpo account to confirm the authorization.
• Product reviews are imported based on the Identifier Code (such as SKU, UPC). Before importing, you should ensure that your products on TikTok Shop have the same identifier code as on other platforms. Otherwise, the import will fail.
• Imported reviews are labeled as "review from [insert website]" to indicate their source.
• Imported reviews do not impact product ratings or rankings in search results within TikTok Shop.

Removing Reviews

• Once submitted, reviews are publicly available until the product is removed from TikTok Shop.
  • If the product is relisted, previous reviews will not be restored.
• You cannot delete reviews directly. However, if you believe a review is incorrect, invalid, or abusive, you can report it to us for removal. Refer to our guide, How To Remove Invalid Or Incorrect Customer Reviews, for more information.

Responding to Reviews

• Responses to reviews are visible to the public, so ensure you are respectful and professional.
• Do not share personal information about yourself or the customer in your responses.
• For negative reviews, acknowledge the issue and apologize if necessary. Explain to the customer how you are addressing the problem.
• For positive reviews, thank the customer for their support and highlight any specific positive feedback.

Actions to Avoid

• Avoid Incentives and Persuasion: Do not offer any form of incentive to influence reviews through buyer messages, short videos, LIVEs, or any other communication method. Incentives include, but are not limited to.
  • Discounts.
  • Money.
  • Gift cards.
  • Free products.
  • Refunds.
  • Rebates.
  • Reimbursements.
  • Extended warranties.
  • Similar offers.
  • Do not include cards in product packaging requesting positive reviews.
• Avoid Review Services: Refrain from using or selling customer review services that offer incentives for writing reviews, whether for your own products or competitors' products. This includes product review services that sell the act of providing reviews instead of physical products.
• Avoid Manipulating Reviews: Do not manipulate reviews by discouraging them, requesting changes/removals, or selectively seeking feedback from satisfied customers.
• Avoid Abusive Behavior: Refrain from repeatedly asking for reviews, revealing customer personal information, or responding in ways that violate our policies, such as harassment or intimidation.
• Avoid Redirecting Reviews: Do not divert reviews to other feedback channels instead of allowing buyers to post reviews on TikTok Shop.

Negative Reviews

A negative review is a 1 or 2-star rating from a customer about a product or service. Engaging in prohibited behaviors or receiving consistently poor feedback can lead to enforcement actions. For example, TikTok Shop may issue warnings, remove products, or suspend shop privileges depending on the severity of the violation. For instance, a minor violation like a single instance of including a promotional card might result in a warning, while repeatedly manipulating reviews could lead to shop suspension.

Negative Review Rate (NRR)

TikTok Shop's Negative Review Rate (NRR) measures customer dissatisfaction in two ways:

1. Shop NRR: The % of negative product reviews from all shop orders delivered in the last 60 days.
2. Product NRR: The % of negative reviews for all orders of a specific product delivered in the last 60 days.

You are required to maintain a low NRR. To access your NRR, visit the Seller Center and select Shop Health.

Negative Review Categories

Customers may leave negative reviews due to product dissatisfaction, shipping issues, or poor customer service. These reviews are categorized into 3 types:

1. Product-Related Negative Reviews: Feedback related to product quality, safety, and functionality, including defects or inaccurate advertising.
2. Logistics-Related Negative Reviews: Feedback related to delivery, including delays, packaging issues, or incorrect addresses.
3. Service-Related Negative Reviews: Feedback related to customer service, including poor treatment or inadequate support.

Negative Review Examples

The following section lists some examples of negative reviews.

Product

Product reviews often focus on the quality and characteristics of the product. The following are common types of product-related reviews with examples:

1. Product Functionality.
   • "Keyboard buttons are small and difficult to press".
   • "The zipper on the bag gets stuck frequently, and it does not feel like it closes all the way".
2. Inaccurate Advertising.
   • "I did not like the product. It does not work like the influencers claim. It does not stain evenly and does not stay on all day".
   • "Product was not as described. I ordered an XL and it fit more like an M".
3. User-Perceived Issues About Product Taste or Smell.
   • "Way too sweet and sour for me. I like sour candy but this is not good".
   • "Does not smell as good as I thought it would"

Logistics

Logistics reviews focus on issues with shipping and handling. The following are common types of logistics-related reviews with examples:

1. Wrong Shipment.
   • "I ordered 3 books and I received 3 pencils instead".
   • "I bought my son a dinosaur toy but received a shark toy instead".
2. Not Received.
   • "Didn’t receive the item".
   • "Said it had been delivered but I did not get my order".
3. Missing Shipment.
   • "The product was missing one of the table legs".
   • "There was no guide book associated with the chair, making it difficult to assemble the product"

Service

Service reviews focus on issues with customer service. The following are common types of service-related reviews with examples:

1. Poor Customer Service.
   • "I had to wait multiple days for a response to my inquiry about my order".
   • "The seller was rude and unhelpful when I asked for assistance with my purchase".

Best Practices for Avoiding Negative Reviews

To improve your NRR, prioritize delivering a high-quality experience at every step of your customers' purchasing journey.

1. Ensure High-Quality Products.
   • Accurately represent the products in their product listings.
   • Avoid misleading or exaggerated claims.
   • Verify that your products meet the standards in our Product Listing: What You Need to Know article.
2. Provide Effective Order Fulfillment.
   • Ensure timely delivery of orders through an efficient fulfillment process.
   • Print or download the packing slip from Seller Center for each order.
   • Double-check the shipping address before dispatch.
   • Cancel any orders that cannot be fulfilled according to the Guide to Managing Order Cancellations article.
3. Deliver Excellent Customer Service.
   • Address customer inquiries promptly and professionally.
   • Understand and respond to customer concerns thoughtfully.

Maintaining Positive Reviews

To maintain positive reviews and a healthy shop reputation:

• Follow our best practices and avoid prohibited actions to maintain your shop’s reputation.
• Create a better buying experience for your customers.
• Focus on delivering quality products and great service to keep your reviews positive.

For more information, please refer to our TikTok Shop Review Policy.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I address a negative review I believe is unfair or violates TikTok Shop policies?

If you receive a negative review that you believe is unfair or violates TikTok Shop’s policies (such as one with inappropriate content or false claims), you can report it. Go to the Seller Center's Contact Us page to submit your report. TikTok Shop may evaluate the review and take appropriate action.

Can I remove negative reviews myself?

You cannot remove reviews yourself. All review removal requests must be submitted with the "Report Review" feature detailed above. We may assess whether the review meets the criteria for removal.

Can I respond to negative reviews?

Yes, you can respond to negative reviews. A professional and courteous response can help address customer concerns and show potential buyers that you are committed to resolving issues.

Are there any guidelines for responding to negative reviews?

When responding to negative reviews, it is essential to be professional, empathetic, and constructive. Address the customer's concerns, offer solutions if applicable, and avoid engaging in arguments or using negative language.

How can I prevent negative reviews from affecting my shop’s rating?

To minimize the impact of negative reviews, focus on delivering high-quality products on time and providing exceptional customer service. Promptly address any customer complaints and work to resolve issues effectively to prevent them from escalating into negative reviews.

Will negative reviews impact my shop’s visibility or performance on TikTok Shop?

While occasional negative reviews are normal, consistently poor ratings can impact your shop’s visibility (such as reducing its ranking in search results) and performance. Address any issues raised in reviews and focus on providing excellent customer service to maintain a positive reputation.

How long does it take to resolve a review dispute?

The time required to resolve a review dispute can vary depending on the complexity of the issue and the volume of reports being processed. TikTok Shop aims to handle disputes promptly and may provide a status update of your request as soon as possible.

How can I improve my overall review rating on TikTok Shop?

To improve your review rating, focus on providing excellent customer service, ensuring timely and accurate order fulfillment, and actively addressing any customer complaints. Encourage satisfied customers to review their products.

How do sellers appeal a violation, and what information do they need to provide?

You can appeal a violation through the "Shop Health" section in Seller Center or the TikTok app by raising a ticket. When appealing, you should:

• Explain the reason for the appeal.
• Provide supporting evidence and documentation.
• Show improvements made to prevent future violations, such as:
  • Submitting compliance documents.
  • Uploading accurate size charts.
  • Improving inventory management.
  • Detailing corrective actions taken.

You are responsible for gathering and preparing all necessary supporting documents for the appeal.