How To Set Up Reviews On Shopify

Introduction

Customer reviews are one of the single most effective ways to build trust and increase conversions. Stores that display authentic reviews often see higher conversion rates, better search visibility, and more repeat purchases. Yet many merchants struggle with fragmented tools, inconsistent collection practices, and weak display strategies — classic symptoms of "app fatigue."

Short answer: Setting up reviews on Shopify is a two-part process: choose a review solution that fits your needs and install it into your product pages, then build a repeatable process to collect, moderate, and leverage those reviews across your store and marketing channels. With the right platform and workflows, you can capture review content automatically, show star ratings in product listings and search results, and turn reviews into a reliable driver of customer acquisition and retention.

In this article we’ll explain exactly why reviews matter, walk through practical, step-by-step setup options for Shopify stores, cover how to collect and moderate reviews at scale, and show how to use reviews strategically across SEO, email, product pages, and loyalty programs. Throughout, we’ll connect each recommendation to real operational steps and explain how our retention suite helps streamline the process so you get more growth with less stack.

Our main message: reviews are not a one-off feature — they should be a core part of your retention and acquisition engine. When reviews are integrated with loyalty, referrals, and user-generated content, they become a multiplier that increases lifetime value and reduces dependency on paid ads.

Why Reviews Matter For Shopify Stores

Tangible Business Benefits

Reviews do more than praise your products — they change buying behavior. The most important outcomes merchants see from well-executed review programs include:

• Increased conversion rates on product pages and across the site.
• Higher average order value when reviews include upsell-related feedback.
• Improved organic search performance through fresh, keyword-rich user content.
• Better ad performance because social proof raises click-through and conversion rates.
• Higher customer lifetime value when reviews are combined with post-purchase retention tactics.

These benefits compound when review collection and display are automated and connected to customer retention tools.

SEO and Rich Snippets

Reviews add user-generated content that keeps pages fresh and often includes long-tail phrases shoppers use in searches. Properly structured reviews can also surface star ratings in search results via review schema, improving click-through rates. We’ll cover the technical side of structured data later so you can capture rich snippets that bring organic traffic.

Social Proof and Trust

Reviews are third-party validation. Customers tend to trust other customers more than brand messaging. Displaying both ratings and qualitative comments — especially with photos or videos — reduces buyer anxiety and shortens the path to purchase.

Feedback Loop for Product Improvement

Reviews highlight product strengths and weaknesses in the customer’s words. That direct feedback is invaluable for product improvements, helping you reduce return rates and build better offers over time.

Choosing The Right Review Solution

What To Look For

When selecting a review platform for Shopify, evaluate these functional and operational considerations:

• Ease of installation and theme integration.
• Automated collection workflows (email/sms) with timing controls.
• Support for photo and video submissions from customers.
• Moderation and auto-publish controls.
• Rich snippet/structured data support for star ratings in search.
• Display flexibility for product pages, collection pages, landing pages, and homepage.
• Integration with loyalty and referral programs to incentivize reviews ethically.
• Analytics to measure review volume, sentiment, and conversion lift.
• A single platform that reduces tool sprawl and centralizes retention touchpoints.

Our philosophy is More Growth, Less Stack: consolidating reviews, loyalty, referrals, and UGC into one cohesive retention suite reduces overhead and creates synergistic effects across channels. That’s why we built review capabilities alongside loyalty and other retention tools — to replace multiple disconnected solutions with one stable partner.

Hosted vs. Native Theme Integration

Many solutions offer two ways to display reviews:

• Embedded widgets that load from the review platform.
• Native theme sections that pull review data into Shopify templates.

Both approaches work, but native theme integration often gives a cleaner UX and faster load times. Make sure any solution you choose can be added to your product template and, ideally, to other theme templates with the flexibility to change placement and style.

Support For Photo & Video Reviews

Visual reviews have higher persuasive power. If you plan to collect photos or video, confirm the solution supports rich media, displays them responsively, and lets you moderate them easily.

Data Ownership and Portability

You should own your review data. Check that you can export reviews for use in other channels or in case you migrate themes or platforms.

Step-By-Step: How To Set Up Reviews On Shopify

Below we’ll cover setup paths that work for most merchants: using a lightweight built-in option and using a more complete retention suite that centralizes reviews with loyalty and UGC.

Preparation: Before You Install Anything

Before you add review functionality, complete this short checklist to make setup smooth:

• Decide which product templates will show reviews (default product page, quick view, collection pages).
• Gather or design the star styles and review block placements you prefer.
• Draft a short, friendly review request message you can use in post-purchase flows.
• Decide whether you’ll auto-publish reviews or moderate before publishing.
• Ensure your store's terms and privacy policy allow review collection and user media.

Having these decisions made will speed implementation.

Option A — Quick Start Using A Lightweight Reviews Solution

For stores that want to add basic review functionality fast, a lightweight solution that integrates with Shopify themes is ideal.

• Install the review solution from your Shopify admin or install the platform from the Shopify listing.
• Open the theme editor (Online Store > Themes > Customize).
• Select the product template and add the reviews block or star-rating block from the Apps or Sections area.
• Configure placement (below title, above add-to-cart, or in tabs) and styling (star color, size).
• Within the reviews solution dashboard, enable post-purchase review emails and set a review request schedule (we’ll cover timing best practices below).
• Test the submission form on a product page and confirm that reviews are displayed and structured data is present.

This path gets you live quickly. However, as your store grows, you’ll likely want better automation, UGC support, and integration with retention programs.

Option B — Use A Unified Retention Suite (Recommended)

A retention suite that includes reviews, loyalty, referrals, wishlists, and social UGC simplifies maintenance and unlocks higher ROI from reviews.

• Sign up for a retention platform and explore plan options (for plan details, see our pricing plans).
• Install the platform to your store (you can directly install Growave via the Shopify listing).
• Use the platform’s review collection tools to configure:
  • Post-purchase review requests (email/sms).
  • Incentives: points or discounts for leaving a review (ensure compliance with incentive rules — more on policy later).
  • Photo and video upload settings.
  • Moderation rules and auto-publish thresholds.
• Add the review widget to product templates using the platform’s recommended snippet or theme integration. If your theme supports sections, add the platform’s reviews section to the product template and customize layout.
• Enable rich snippet support in the platform settings to ensure review schema is rendered on product pages.
• Connect reviews to your loyalty program so customers can earn points for reviews and content submissions (learn how loyalty and reviews work together in our loyalty and rewards program).
• Test the full flow: purchase a product, receive a review request, submit a review with media, and confirm it appears on the product page and in your analytics dashboard.

Using a retention suite eliminates integration overhead because the same platform powers review collection, rewards distribution, and UGC activation for marketing channels.

Technical Steps: Adding Reviews To Product Pages (Detailed)

Installing And Embedding The Review Widget

Depending on the solution, you’ll either paste a snippet into your theme or use the theme editor to add a section.

• For snippet-based integration, add the provided code to your product.liquid (or product template JSON) in the theme editor where you want the review block. Place it near the product description or title per your design preferences.
• For section-based integration, open the Online Store > Themes > Customize area, open product template, click “Add Section” and select the reviews section provided by the platform.
• Confirm responsive behavior for mobile and tablet.
• Check that star ratings appear in collection pages or product cards if your solution supports it. This can boost click-through rates from collection pages.

Enabling Structured Data For Rich Snippets

Star ratings in search results require proper review schema on product pages. Most mature review platforms automatically inject the correct structured data, but verify this:

• Use Google’s rich results testing tool to inspect a product page once reviews are published.
• Confirm that the page includes aggregateRating and review properties in JSON-LD or microdata format.
• Ensure the aggregateRating only appears when there are real reviews to avoid search penalties for misleading markup.

If your platform supports it, enable structured data in the settings. If you’re adding schema manually, include product name, SKU, aggregateRating (ratingValue and reviewCount), and at least one review object.

Displaying Visual Reviews

If you collect images or videos, ensure the widget supports:

• Click-to-enlarge images in a lightbox.
• Lazy-loading to prevent page slowdown.
• Moderation controls to approve or reject media.

Visuals increase trust and are valuable assets for social and product pages.

Building Repeatable Review Collection Workflows

Collecting reviews consistently is as important as installing a widget. Here’s how to design workflows that scale.

Timing Post-Purchase Review Requests

The optimal timing for review requests depends on product type:

• For fast-moving consumables or products that deliver quickly, send a review request 5–10 days after delivery.
• For items requiring use or break-in (apparel, mattresses, beauty), wait 2–4 weeks to give customers time to form an opinion.
• For very long-use products, consider an initial feedback request after delivery and a follow-up review request later.

Use automation to schedule these emails. Include a clear call-to-action and a one-click flow that minimizes friction.

Crafting High-Converting Review Request Messages

Effective review requests are short, specific, and make it easy for customers to respond.

• Use friendly tone and personalize the message (customer name, product purchased).
• Provide context: mention how the review helps other customers and your brand.
• Give a simple CTA like “Rate your recent purchase” and link directly to the review form or a pre-filled product review page.
• Offer multi-step options: rating only or a full review with photos and text.

If you use incentives, state them clearly and follow policies: offer points in a loyalty program or small discounts for honest feedback rather than guaranteed positive reviews.

Incentives And Loyalty Integration

Incentivizing reviews can increase submission rates. Best practices:

• Offer points in your loyalty program for reviews and richer rewards (photos/videos) to drive UGC. Learn more about how integrating a loyalty and rewards program can amplify review collection.
• Avoid offering monetary rewards solely for positive reviews; incentivize honest feedback.
• Automate point granting after review approval to prevent abuse.

Integrating loyalty and reviews in one platform reduces friction and manual bookkeeping.

Collecting Photo & Video Reviews

Encourage media in your request email with explicit instructions and examples. Highlight how visuals help other shoppers. Provide clear file size limits and easy upload via the review form or a link to a mobile-friendly upload page.

Dealing With Negative Reviews

Negative reviews are opportunities. Your approach should:

• Respond quickly and publicly with empathy.
• Offer to resolve product issues offline when necessary (support ticket, refund, or replacement).
• Use negative feedback to inform product improvements and reduce repeat issues.
• Never delete negative reviews unless they violate policy (spam, profanity, personal data). Transparently addressing issues builds trust.

Moderation, Trust, And Legal Considerations

Moderation Best Practices

• Set up moderation rules: auto-publish reviews below a certain confidence threshold only with approval.
• Use spam and bot detection tools to filter fake submissions.
• Keep timestamps and transaction IDs for every review to verify authenticity when questioned.

Incentive Disclosure And Compliance

If you reward reviewers, disclose incentives clearly in review text or in a sitewide policy. This preserves transparency and complies with many platform and legal requirements.

Data Privacy & Consent

Collecting photos or personal experiences involves data handling obligations.

• Update your privacy policy to include how reviews and media will be used.
• Provide clear consent checkboxes where required.
• Ensure customers can request removal of personal data under applicable privacy laws.

Measurement: KPIs To Track

To demonstrate the impact of reviews, monitor:

• Review volume and the percentage of orders that result in reviews.
• Average star rating and distribution.
• Conversion rate lift on product pages with vs. without reviews.
• Click-through rate from search results when rich snippets are present.
• Engagement rates on review request emails.
• UGC usage across marketing (social posts, email creative).
• Revenue attributed to review-driven flows (use UTM tagging and analytics).

A centralized retention platform simplifies measurement by connecting reviews with loyalty and referral metrics.

Using Reviews Across Your Marketing Stack

Product Pages And Collections

• Show average rating and review count near the product title to build trust early.
• Surface top reviews and recent reviews to show freshness.
• Add photo galleries from reviewers to the product media carousel.

Homepage And Landing Pages

• Highlight top-rated products and a rotating reel of customer images on your homepage.
• Use testimonial sections and quote-rich snippets in landing pages for campaigns.

Email And SMS

• Include recent reviews in post-purchase and re-engagement emails.
• Use review snippets in abandoned cart messages to address hesitations.
• Send targeted review request emails segmented by purchase behavior.

Social And Paid Channels

• Reuse photo and video reviews in social ads and organic posts (with customer permission).
• Create lookalike audiences based on customers who left high-value reviews.

Product Development And Operations

• Share negative reviews with product teams as prioritized tickets.
• Track recurring complaints to identify supplier or production issues.

Advanced Tactics And Experiments

A/B Testing Review Placement And CTAs

Run experiments to test where reviews most effectively influence conversions: near the buy button, in collapsible tabs, or as a sticky widget. Test CTA language in review request emails and the number of follow-up reminders.

Sampling And VIP Reviewer Programs

Invite past high-life-time-value customers to give early feedback on new SKUs. Offer exclusive previews or extra loyalty points for early testers. This encourages high-quality reviews and fosters brand advocates.

Review Syndication And Migration

If you change platforms or want to show reviews on other channels, export reviews in standard CSV or JSON formats. When migrating, maintain review URLs and structured data to protect SEO value.

Common Setup Mistakes And How To Avoid Them

• Relying on manual review collection instead of automation — fix by setting up post-purchase workflows.
• Hiding negative reviews — address them publicly and avoid deleting unless policy-violating.
• Not enabling structured data — you miss rich snippets in Google results.
• Using multiple disconnected review platforms — consolidate to reduce overhead and data fragmentation.
• Neglecting mobile UX — ensure review forms and uploads work smoothly on phones.

Growave-Specific Integration: How We Help

We design our retention suite to replace multiple point solutions so merchants get More Growth, Less Stack. Our Reviews & UGC tools connect directly with loyalty, referrals, and wishlists so you can:

• Automate review requests and reward the behavior with points in your loyalty and rewards program.
• Collect photos and videos, moderate them in one dashboard, and publish them across product pages and social feeds.
• Support structured data to surface star ratings in search results and boost organic CTR.
• Analyze review-driven revenue and tie it back to customer retention metrics.

If you’d like to explore how reviews, loyalty, and referrals work together, learn more about how our social reviews and UGC tools enhance retention and conversion.

We’re trusted by 15,000+ brands and have a 4.8-star rating on Shopify. That credibility reflects our merchant-first focus: we build for merchants, not investors, aiming to be a stable, long-term growth partner.

For specifics on plans that include reviews alongside loyalty and referrals, see our pricing plans and consider installing Growave from the Shopify listing so you can start consolidating your retention stack.

Troubleshooting Checklist

If your reviews aren’t showing or conversion lift is low, check:

• Widget placement: ensure the reviews block is added to the correct product template.
• Structured data: verify that aggregateRating and review objects are present when reviews exist.
• Caching or CDN issues: clear caches after theme edits.
• Moderation settings: confirm that reviews are not awaiting approval.
• Email delivery: ensure review request emails are reaching customers' inboxes and not marked as spam.
• Incentive settings: verify that points or rewards are correctly granted after approval.

If you need help diagnosing integration issues, you can install Growave from the Shopify listing and book a demo for personalized assistance.

Checklist: Review Setup Essentials (At-A-Glance)

• Choose a review solution that supports images/videos and structured data.
• Add the review widget to your product template and test across devices.
• Set up automated post-purchase review requests with optimized timing.
• Integrate reviews with your loyalty program to reward contributors.
• Enable moderation rules and anti-fraud measures.
• Monitor review volume, sentiment, and conversion lift.
• Reuse visual reviews in social and paid campaigns.
• Maintain transparent incentive and privacy policies.

Conclusion

Reviews are a high-impact, low-friction retention lever when implemented thoughtfully. By choosing a solution that streamlines collection, display, and reward workflows — and by connecting reviews to loyalty and referral programs — merchants can turn customer feedback into a sustained growth engine. Reducing tool sprawl and consolidating capabilities into one retention suite will save time, reduce errors, and deliver better ROI.

Start your 14-day free trial and see how Growave can centralize reviews, loyalty, and referrals to drive retention and growth: Explore Growave plans.

FAQ

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

You can start collecting reviews immediately after installation, but timing of requests matters. Most merchants begin to see steady review volume within 2–6 weeks after enabling automated post-purchase requests and incentives.

Can I show review star ratings in Google search results?

Yes — if your review platform outputs correct structured data (aggregateRating and review objects) on product pages, search engines can display star ratings as rich snippets. Verify with a rich results testing tool and ensure markup only appears when real reviews exist.

Is it okay to reward customers for leaving reviews?

Yes, but follow best practices: reward honest feedback rather than promising positive reviews. Use loyalty points or small incentives granted after moderation and disclose incentives transparently.

What if I switch themes or platforms — can I keep my reviews?

You should be able to export review data and import it into another theme or platform. Choose a provider that offers data export to protect your content and SEO value during migrations.

For further help installing reviews and building a retention-first strategy, consider installing Growave from the Shopify listing and exploring our integrated loyalty and review features for a cohesive solution.