How To Create Reviews On Shopify

Introduction

Over 90% of consumers consult online reviews before making a purchase, and product pages without visible customer feedback miss an enormous opportunity to convert visitors into buyers. Reviews are one of the simplest, highest-impact levers any store can pull to build trust, increase conversion rates, and improve search visibility.

Short answer: You create reviews on Shopify by choosing a reviews-enabled retention solution, adding its review widgets to your product pages and other high-value pages, and building automated flows that request, collect, and surface customer feedback and UGC. Done right, reviews become an engine for repeat purchases and higher lifetime value.

In this post we’ll walk through everything merchants need to know about how to create reviews on Shopify: why they matter, the types of reviews to capture, how to collect them at scale, how to display them for maximum effect, legal and moderation best practices, and how to measure performance. Throughout, we’ll show how Growave’s retention suite helps you collect social reviews, tie them to loyalty programs, and keep your technology stack lean under our "More Growth, Less Stack" philosophy. If you want to try the platform as you read, you can install our retention suite from the Shopify listing (install our retention suite on Shopify).

Our main message: reviews aren’t just “nice to have.” When integrated into a thoughtful retention strategy they reduce acquisition cost, lift conversion, and increase customer lifetime value — especially when reviews are captured as part of loyalty and UGC programs rather than via a dozen disjointed tools.

Why Reviews Matter For Shopify Stores

Trust And Social Proof

Customer reviews are authentic endorsements from people who have already used the product. That social proof reduces perceived risk and answers the question every buyer has: "Will this work for me?" Showing real feedback on product pages shortens the decision process and gives hesitant customers the confidence to complete checkout.

Conversion Uplift And Revenue Impact

Visible reviews increase conversion rates by providing the final nudge for undecided shoppers. Reviews that include details about fit, durability, or performance help remove objections that product descriptions alone can’t address.

SEO And Long-Tail Discovery

Reviews add fresh, user-generated content that makes product pages more relevant for a variety of long-tail queries. Search engines favor pages with substantive, unique content; customer reviews often contain the exact phrases shoppers type into search when looking for specific features or problems a product solves.

Insights For Product Improvement

Reviews are direct feedback loops. Reading aggregated praise and complaints helps merchants prioritize product updates, improve sizing information, or fix issues in packaging or fulfillment. This continuous improvement feeds back into better reviews over time.

Amplifying UGC Across Channels

Reviews can double as content for email campaigns, ads, social media, and paid channels. When reviews include photos or videos (social reviews), they become even more powerful, increasing click-through rates and ad relevance.

Types Of Reviews To Capture

Text Reviews

Text reviews give context: how a product was used, fit, or performed. Encourage customers to describe specifics rather than just leaving a star rating.

Benefits:

• Rich context for Google and shoppers.
• Useful for future product improvements.

Star Ratings

Aggregate star ratings are quick trust signals. Buyers scan star averages and counts before diving into written reviews.

Benefits:

• Fast credibility indicator.
• Drives clickthrough in search with rich snippets when implemented correctly.

Photo And Video Reviews (Social Reviews / UGC)

Visual proof is persuasive. Photos and short videos from customers validate product claims and reduce returns by setting clearer expectations.

Benefits:

• Higher engagement in emails and ads.
• Builds a library of authentic creative assets.

Verified-Purchase Reviews

Flagging reviews as "verified purchase" increases credibility because shoppers can see the reviewer actually bought the product.

Benefits:

• Increased trust among skeptical buyers.
• Better weighting for conversions and SEO.

Q&A And Short-Form Feedback

Allowing shoppers to ask questions or leave short feedback helps address very specific concerns and can be surfaced alongside reviews.

Benefits:

• Low-friction participation.
• Fills product copy gaps with real-world use cases.

How To Capture Reviews On Shopify: Foundations

Choose A Reviews-Enabled Retention Solution

To capture reviews effectively you need a platform that does more than show stars. Look for a solution that can:

• Send automated post-purchase review requests.
• Accept photos and videos from customers.
• Tag reviews as verified purchases.
• Moderate and reply to reviews from a single dashboard.
• Integrate reviews with loyalty programs and display widgets across your site.

If you want to explore options and install a retention suite, you can install our retention suite on Shopify or compare Growave plans and start a 14-day free trial.

Make It Easy For Customers To Leave Feedback

Reduce friction wherever you ask for a review:

• Send review requests when customers are most likely to respond (after delivery, once the product has been used).
• Include a direct link to a pre-filled review form.
• Offer optional image or video uploads to increase value.
• Keep form fields minimal—stars, short text, and an optional media upload usually suffice.

Timing And Frequency

Timing matters. A well-timed request captures feedback while the experience is fresh but after the customer has had time to evaluate the product. Use order data to schedule review invites:

• For consumables: invite after several uses.
• For apparel: invite once the product is delivered and the customer has had time to try it.
• For complex products: consider a two-stage approach—initial satisfaction check followed by a detailed review request.

Incentives And Compliance

Offering incentives for reviews increases response rates, but be careful:

• Incentivize honesty rather than positivity.
• Never require a positive review in exchange for a reward.
• Make disclosure obvious when an incentive is offered.
• A sensible approach is to reward participation (e.g., loyalty points) regardless of sentiment; this encourages honest feedback without biasing outcomes.

Growave makes it easy to tie review incentives into your loyalty scheme so customers receive rewards for submitting reviews rather than just for leaving positive scores—learn how to create a loyalty program to reward reviewers.

Step-By-Step: Setting Up Reviews On Shopify With Growave

Preparation: Data And Permissions

Before installing or configuring anything, ensure your Shopify store has:

• Accurate product SKUs and titles.
• Fulfillment records enabled so the platform can verify purchases.
• A clear privacy policy that mentions how customer content may be used.

Next, add the retention suite from the Shopify listing: install our retention suite on Shopify.

Configure Review Collection

• Connect order data so review requests are sent only to verified purchasers.
• Customize the review request emails and SMS messages with your brand voice.
• Enable media uploads in your review form so customers can add photos and short videos.
• Set moderation rules—auto-publish positive reviews and send negative reviews for manual review to handle issues quickly.

Tip: Keep emails short, mobile-optimized, and single-call-to-action (CTA) focused on leaving a review.

Use Automation To Scale

Create automated flows that:

• Send an initial review request after delivery confirmation.
• Send a single reminder if no response is received.
• Trigger internal alerts for low-rated reviews so customer service can respond quickly.
• Award loyalty points automatically when a review is submitted to incentivize future behavior.

Growave’s automation builder allows you to set these behaviors up without juggling multiple tools, staying true to our “More Growth, Less Stack” approach.

Display Widgets: Product Pages, Collection Pages, And Beyond

Decide where to show reviews:

• Product pages: full reviews and photos.
• Collection pages: star ratings to help quick scanning.
• Homepage and landing pages: featured reviews with high-impact quotes and images.
• Cart or checkout pages: micro-testimonials to reduce abandonment.

Growave supports flexible widgets for different page locations and responsive layouts that keep the site fast and accessible.

Rich Snippets And Structured Data

To get star ratings to show in search results, implement schema markup for product reviews. The retention suite will expose the structured data needed for search engines to pick up review star ratings and counts. Verify your implementation using search engine testing tools and monitor for rich snippet impressions.

Test, Iterate, And Optimize

After launch:

• Monitor review collection rates.
• A/B test subject lines, send times, and incentives.
• Track conversion lifts on product pages with visible reviews versus pages without.
• Iterate based on performance data.

Best Practices For Review Requests And Messaging

Keep Requests Personal And Timed

Personalize emails with the customer’s name and product purchased. Use subject lines that mention the product rather than a generic “Tell us what you think.”

Timing tips:

• Send the first request when the product is likely used.
• Keep reminder cadence light—one gentle reminder is usually enough.

Use Multi-Channel Requests

Some customers respond better to SMS, others to email. Use both channels appropriately and be mindful of consent and frequency.

Make It Easy To Upload Photos And Videos

Mobile-first forms with clear instructions for uploading media increase the likelihood of social reviews. Offer guidance like "Show us how you use it for a chance to be featured."

Follow Up On Negative Feedback

Low-rated reviews are opportunities:

• Acknowledge quickly and offer to resolve the issue.
• Use a private communication channel if necessary to resolve details.
• When resolved, ask if the customer would update their review.

Responding transparently shows future customers that you stand behind your products and service.

Displaying Reviews Effectively

Design That Prioritizes Trust Signals

On product pages, structure the review section so shoppers can quickly scan:

• Aggregate rating and total review count at the top.
• Prominent photo and video thumbnails.
• Filter and sort options (most helpful, most recent, 5-star, 1-star).
• A call-to-action for “Write a review” that’s always visible.

Highlight Reviews That Address Common Objections

Feature short excerpts near product details that answer typical buyer questions like fit, durability, or compatibility. Excerpts should be real review snippets and linked back to full reviews for transparency.

Use Reviews In Marketing Campaigns

Pull high-quality reviews into:

• Abandoned cart emails.
• Post-purchase follow-ups recommending complementary products.
• Paid ads and social posts (with reviewer permission).

Genuine visual reviews perform best in ads and social media because they reduce the "too-good-to-be-true" suspicion.

Curate Featured Reviews Without Manipulation

Select featured reviews that are representative and informative. Avoid cherry-picking only five-star testimonials in a way that misleads. Transparency builds long-term trust.

Integrating Reviews With Loyalty And Retention

Reward Participation, Not Just Positivity

Create loyalty rules that reward customers for leaving any review, optionally weighting rewards for photo or video submissions. This encourages honest feedback and builds a library of UGC.

Learn how to tie reviews to loyalty and rewards to create an ongoing incentive engine that keeps customers engaged.

Use Points To Drive Specific Behaviors

Offer points for:

• Leaving the first review.
• Uploading a photo or video.
• Sharing a review on social media.

Points can be redeemed for discounts, early access, or exclusive products, creating a virtuous loop between feedback and repeat purchases.

Leverage Review Activity For Segmentation

Customers who submit rich reviews or frequently engage with UGC are high-potential advocates. Use review activity as a segment for VIP communications, special offers, or early product launches.

Handling Negative Reviews And Moderation

Set Clear Moderation Guidelines

Define what is allowed (abusive language, personal data, spam) and what is encouraged (honest feedback, constructive criticism). Automate obvious spam removal while routing borderline cases for human review.

Respond Quickly And Publicly When Appropriate

A public response to a negative review that offers a clear path to resolution demonstrates excellent customer service. Keep responses concise, empathetic, and action-oriented.

When To Escalate To Private Channels

For complex issues involving order numbers or refunds, invite the customer to continue the conversation privately to protect privacy and resolve efficiently.

Use Negative Feedback To Improve

Aggregate low-rated reviews to identify product defects or service gaps. Create internal tickets or product roadmap items to address systemic issues and close the loop.

Legal And Privacy Considerations

Rights To Use Customer Content

When customers submit photos or videos, obtain clear consent to use the content for marketing. Include opt-ins in the review submission form that are compliant with applicable privacy laws.

Transparency Around Incentives

If you reward reviews, disclose the incentive in the review collection flow and store policies. Honesty avoids regulatory issues and keeps reviews trustworthy.

Data Retention And GDPR/CCPA Compliance

Ensure your review platform supports data access, deletion, and portability requests. Keep policies up to date and make it easy for customers to exercise their rights.

Measuring Success: Metrics To Track

Watch the following to understand impact:

• Review collection rate (reviews per 100 orders).
• Average rating and distribution.
• Percentage of reviews with photos or videos.
• Conversion lift on product pages with reviews vs without.
• Average order value (AOV) for customers who submit reviews.
• Customer lifetime value (CLV) for reviewers vs non-reviewers.
• Rich snippet impressions and organic click-through rate.

Use these metrics to justify investment and iterate on timing, incentives, and messaging.

Advanced Tactics For Higher-Quality Reviews

Pre-Scripted Prompts That Increase Detail

Prompt customers with suggested questions like "How did it fit?" or "What surprised you most?" to encourage useful responses.

Post-Purchase Surveys That Feed Reviews

Start with a short satisfaction survey, and if the customer responds positively, invite them to leave a full review with media. For lower scores, trigger a customer service intervention.

Incentivized User-Generated Content Campaigns

Run seasonal campaigns that offer higher rewards for photo or video submissions. Feature the best content in a showcase that gives contributors credit and exposure.

Optimize For Mobile

Most customers open review requests on mobile. Ensure forms, media uploads, and email templates are responsive and fast.

Embed Reviews Across Your Ecosystem

Surface reviews not just on product pages but in:

• Cart reminders.
• Email automations.
• Post-purchase thank-you pages.
• Landing pages for paid traffic.

This broad exposure increases the chance reviews influence buying decisions at multiple touchpoints.

Common Mistakes To Avoid

• Asking for reviews too early (before product arrival or use).
• Rewarding only positive reviews, which biases feedback and damages trust.
• Showing outdated reviews without an easy way for customers to filter or sort.
• Using multiple disparate tools that fragment moderation and reporting.
• Neglecting to ask for media—visual reviews are routinely more persuasive.

Our "More Growth, Less Stack" philosophy addresses many of these problems by centralizing review collection, moderation, display, and reward logic in one retention suite. You can see how the pieces fit together and evaluate plans on our pricing page: compare plans and start your free trial.

Implementation Checklist (Copyable)

• Ensure product and fulfillment data are up to date.
• Install a reviews-enabled retention solution via your Shopify listing (install our retention suite on Shopify).
• Configure verified-purchase detection and enable media uploads.
• Customize and schedule review request automations.
• Reward participation through your loyalty program (create a loyalty program to reward reviewers).
• Add review widgets to product, collection, and landing pages.
• Enable structured data for rich snippets.
• Set moderation rules and response templates.
• Run A/B tests on timing, messaging, and incentives.
• Monitor metrics and iterate monthly.

How Reviews Fit Into A Holistic Retention Strategy

Reviews are a conversion and trust tool, but their long-term value multiplies when tied to retention mechanics:

• Reward reviewers with points that lead to repeat purchases.
• Use reviewers as a source of content for email and social campaigns.
• Invite high-quality reviewers into VIP programs or early access events to build community.

Growave’s ecosystem is built with these connections in mind—reviews feed loyalty, and loyalty feeds retention, reducing the need for multiple disconnected tools that add complexity and cost.

Pricing And ROI Considerations

When evaluating solutions, consider total cost of ownership and potential revenue impact:

• Costs: subscription to the retention suite, any premium features for UGC moderation or advanced widgets.
• Revenues: conversion lift from visible reviews, increased AOV from cross-sell opportunities, higher retention from loyalty tie-ins.

To get a precise view of pricing tiers and the features unlocked at each level, compare Growave plans and start a 14-day free trial (compare plans and start your free trial). Reducing the number of separate platforms you rely on often creates operational savings and better measurement, improving ROI.

Remember that reviews are a compounding asset—initial collection costs often pay back through higher conversion rates and improved retention over time.

Troubleshooting: Common Problems And Fixes

Problem: Low review response rates

• Fixes: Improve timing, add a gentle reminder, offer small loyalty points for submission, simplify the form, and ensure mobile optimization.

Problem: Many low-star reviews

• Fixes: Investigate product quality and shipping issues, respond publicly and offer remediation, analyze data to identify systemic problems.

Problem: Reviews with no images

• Fixes: Run periodic campaigns with bonus points for photo submissions and make media upload fast and intuitive.

Problem: Widgets don’t appear or structured data not picked up

• Fixes: Confirm theme placement and that the widget code is installed on the right templates; use structured data testing tools and consult support if necessary.

Why Growave For Reviews On Shopify

We build for merchants first and aim to replace patchwork stacks with one coherent retention suite that handles reviews, loyalty, UGC, wishlists, referrals, and shoppable social. Our philosophy of "More Growth, Less Stack" means you get the synergy of multiple tools without the integration headaches.

We’re trusted by 15,000+ brands and maintain a 4.8-star rating on Shopify, demonstrating reliability and merchant satisfaction. To explore how our reviews and UGC features can fit into your store’s growth plan, learn about our social reviews capabilities and how to integrate media-forward reviews into product pages (collect and showcase social reviews and UGC). For merchants who want to reward reviewers and drive repeat purchases, it’s straightforward to create a loyalty program to reward reviewers.

If you want to install and try our retention suite, you can add it directly from the Shopify listing: install our retention suite on Shopify.

Conclusion

Customer reviews are a foundational retention and conversion tool for Shopify merchants. When reviews are collected systematically, surfaced thoughtfully, and tied into a loyalty-driven retention strategy, they move beyond social proof and become a sustained growth channel. By centralizing review collection, media uploads, moderation, and rewards in a single retention suite, merchants remove tech friction and focus on improving product experience and customer relationships.

Start your 14-day free trial and explore our plans here: compare Growave plans and pricing.

FAQ

How long does it take to start collecting reviews after setup?

Collection typically begins as soon as automation flows are active and customers start receiving review requests, usually within days of launching. The pace depends on order volume and timing of requests.

Can I show photo and video reviews on product pages and in ads?

Yes. A reviews-enabled retention solution should allow photo and video uploads and give you widgets and exportable assets for marketing campaigns.

Are incentivized reviews allowed?

Yes, as long as incentives are disclosed and rewards are offered for honest feedback (not only positive reviews). Rewarding participation rather than positivity is the simplest compliant approach.

Will reviews improve my SEO?

Yes. User-generated content creates fresh, relevant content and can increase visibility for long-tail queries. Proper structured data implementation can also surface star ratings in search results, improving click-through rates.