In a world where online shopping has become the norm, product reviews play a crucial role in consumer decision-making. Amazon understands this like no other. With Amazon's Vine Program, sellers can get honest and unbiased reviews for new or even pre-release products. Recently, Amazon announced that they are going to change the Vine Program. But what exactly does this program entail? And what changes are going to take place? In this blog, we dive deeper into the Vine Program and what is going to change.
What is Amazon Vine again?
Amazon Vine is an exclusive program designed to help brands and sellers obtain authentic feedback about their products. But how does it work exactly? Amazon selects a group of the most reliable and influential reviewers, known as ‘Vine Voices’. These reviewers are invited based on their reputation, the helpfulness of their reviews, and their commitment to writing informative and objective reviews. Once selected, these Vine Voices have the opportunity to participate in the program and receive free products submitted by participating vendors. The key here is that these reviewers are not obligated to give a positive review. They are encouraged to share their honest opinion, whether it is positive or negative. This ensures transparent and reliable feedback that is invaluable to both sellers and buyers.
New pricing structure & tightened selection criteria
The Amazon Vine Program has undergone several changes since its introduction. This is aimed at improving the quality and reliability of product reviews. Some changes will also be implemented by the end of this year. But what exactly are these changes and how do they affect sellers and consumers?
One of the most notable changes is the adjustment of the pricing structure. In the past, participation in the Vine Program was even free, but currently, the registration fee is $200 (approximately €189,-). These costs are charged after the seller has received the first review. With this registration fee, up to 30 individual products can be registered, and up to 30 reviews can be received. Sellers have indicated that they are not satisfied with this pricing structure. They found the $200 registration fee and the free giveaway of products too high. Amazon has listened carefully to this feedback and is therefore launching a new pricing structure with the possibility of cheaper registration fees. This new structure offers three different pricing levels:
- A free pricing level where up to two individual products can be registered.
- A $75 (approximately €71,-) pricing level allowing between three and ten individual products to be registered.
- The current price of $200 for registering between 11 and 30 individual products.
These changes offer sellers more flexibility and choice when registering their products in the Vine Program.
In addition to the costs, Amazon has also tightened the selection criteria for Vine Voices. This ensures that the reviews under the program come from the most expert and reliable sources. Moreover, Vine Voices are encouraged to add multimedia content, such as photos and videos, to their reviews.
Although Amazon Vine (in most cases) costs money, the program offers a unique opportunity to receive valuable feedback from some of the most trusted reviewers on Amazon.
How Vine reviews impact sales
In the introduction, we already mentioned that product reviews play a crucial role in consumer decision-making. They provide potential buyers with insights into the quality and reliability of a product. The Amazon Vine Program has a demonstrable impact on sales. Research shows that products receiving reviews through the Vine Program can experience a sales increase of up to 30%. This increase results from a combination of increased visibility on the platform, better conversion rates, and valuable product insights. It is important to realize that, although Vine can help boost initial sales, maintaining high sales figures depends on consistently meeting customer expectations and delivering quality products.
How to participate in the Amazon Vine Program
Would you like to take advantage of the Amazon Vine Program? Start by registering your ASINs, or Amazon's unique product identification numbers. Once you have selected an ASIN, choose the desired pricing level, ranging from the free level for a limited number of products to the more extensive packages. After registration, your products are made available to the Vine Voices. They receive your product, test it, and then write an honest and unbiased review. It is important to note that participation in the Vine Program does not guarantee positive reviews, but it does provide a platform for honest feedback from reliable reviewers.
You can find the Vine program here in Seller Central:
Do you have questions about this blog? Or could you use some help with your Amazon account? We at Follo are happy to help you. Feel free to contact us without obligation.
