How to Communicate with Customers on Amazon

It's not always easy to know how and what you're allowed to do on Amazon. A common mistake sellers make is mishandling communication with customers on the platform. Amazon has fairly strict rules and hides many communication options. In this chapter, I’ll clarify the common questions that may arise.

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How Do You Communicate with Customers on Amazon?

Amazon doesn’t give you many options when it comes to customer communication. You won’t get much customer information, and it’s strictly forbidden to try and obtain it. Amazon wants to keep customers on their platform and prevent you from taking them elsewhere. However, you essentially have two options for communication:

• You can chat with customers on Amazon’s platform.
• You can email customers.

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Chatting with Customers on Amazon

Inside Seller Central, in the upper right corner, there’s a link to Messages. There you’ll find all the messages you, as a seller, have received from and sent to customers. If a customer wants to contact you, it’s through this platform that you’ll receive messages, and it’s also where you’ll reply.

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All your messages must follow Amazon’s rules. For example, you can’t send links, email addresses, ask for positive reviews, or attach files (except those required to solve a customer’s problem). If you’re unsure about what’s allowed, you can check Amazon’s latest policy updates here. Amazon may have updated its rules since I wrote this, so always verify Amazon’s guidelines, especially in uncertain situations.

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Emailing Customers on Amazon (Automatically)

You can’t technically email customers on Amazon. But almost. With the same messaging system mentioned for chat, you can send automated “emails.” These emails are essentially messages sent through Amazon’s system, but customers receive an email notification when these messages are sent.

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The reason this is something you should look into is that you can automate these emails with the help of third-party services. They allow you to automatically email customers based on their order status. For example, you can send an email right after a customer places an order, a certain number of days after an order, or when a customer receives the product.

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By sending out such emails, you can increase customer satisfaction and trust, and you can also boost the number of reviews left by customers.

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Getting More Reviews on Amazon with Automated Emails

As mentioned, emailing customers on Amazon can build trust, which in itself can increase the number of positive reviews. You can also actively encourage customers to leave a review. However, it’s crucial to focus on the customer experience in these communications.

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When I set up automated emails, I usually configure 2-3 emails to go out to all customers after an order is placed.

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Email 1 - Immediately After Order

This email is sent right after the order comes in. I make sure to thank the customer for their order and explain how much we appreciate their choosing our company. I also let them know they can contact us with any problems. In the message, I try to subtly weave in our company’s story, thereby building brand identity. You can also try to add value by providing information and tips related to the product they purchased.

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Email 2 - After Product Is Received

This email is sent when the customer receives the product. Here, I again express our gratitude for their order and emphasize that it’s important to us that they are completely satisfied. I also include a request for a review, explaining that we’re a small business competing with giants and that a review makes a significant difference. Of course, you should never lie, so if you run a large company, you should emphasize something else.

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Email 3 - The Final Email

I send this email about five days after the customer receives the order, repeating much of what was written in the previous email. I then mention that this will be the last email they receive from us and add that we hope they feel confident in choosing us again in the future. This hopefully not only increases the number of reviews but also the number of returning customers.

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Things to Keep in Mind When Communicating with Customers

First and foremost, as mentioned above, it’s always important to follow Amazon’s rules. This is not just about doing the right thing, but it’s also in your own best interest. If you break Amazon’s rules, they can shut down your account without warning—and you want to avoid that!

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Another important point is to always keep the customer at the center of your communication. Yes, you want more reviews, and yes, you want to sell more. But the customer doesn’t care about that. The customer cares about themselves. If you want a review, you need to earn it. So, always treat the customer with respect and make them want to leave a review. Trying to force them will get you nowhere.

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The third and final point I want to mention is to always live up to what you promise in an email. If you say the customer can contact you with any problems, then you need to respond to their messages if they do reach out. While it may not happen often, when it does, it’s crucial that you take it seriously. I can’t count the number of times customers of products I’ve sold on Amazon have left a review because of (or with comments about) the service and support they received.

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Remember, customers are vital to your and your company’s success on Amazon!