A cycle showing a delivered parcel, a returned envelope with a photo card, and review cards displayed on a shelf before the next parcel ships

To get customer reviews on Shopify, ask after delivery, ask past buyers, and show what you collect

Most Shopify customers won't leave a review unless you ask. A reliable system has five parts:

  1. Ask after the product has arrived and been used
  2. Ask past customers once, not only new ones
  3. Ask for photos and videos specifically
  4. If you offer a reward, give it for any honest review
  5. Display the reviews so the next buyer sees what a good one looks like

You can do all of this by hand, but sending an email for every order and issuing discount codes doesn't last. The last section shows how to automate it with Loox. This guide reflects Loox's help center, academy, pricing page, and Shopify App Store listing, the FTC's consumer reviews Q&A, all checked on October 13, 2026. For email settings in detail, see our review request emails guide. This page covers the bigger picture.

Method 1: Ask for the review after the product arrives and has been used

Send the request after delivery plus a realistic trial period, not right after checkout. Someone who hasn't opened the box can't write a useful review.

The right gap depends on what you sell. A candle can be reviewed in a few days. A skincare routine or a piece of furniture needs longer. For international orders, add transit time. A practical way to decide: look at your last handful of orders, note how long they took to arrive, then add the days a customer needs to try the product.

Loox lets you schedule the request 1 to 70 days after purchase, fulfillment, or delivery (Loox Academy, checked October 13, 2026). Keep the email short. Say what you're asking about and where to leave it, and invite honest feedback, good or bad, rather than asking for five stars. That wording matters again in the incentives section below.

Method 2: Ask past customers once with a one-time batch request

If your store already has order history, you don't have to wait for new orders. Past buyers are the quickest way to fill an empty product page.

Loox has Bonus Review Requests for this. Per its help center (updated February 23, 2026), they cover orders from up to 90 days before you installed Loox. On the Bonus emails page you pick 90, 60, or 30 days, or custom dates, then click Schedule. Sending begins within 48 hours. The option is only available for 90 days after installation, so check it early. (Loox help)

Two things to know:

  • Bonus emails use the same text and design as your main request email. Editing one changes all of your manual and automatic requests.
  • Orders older than 90 days can't be bulk-sent. Loox suggests sending a direct product review link instead.

If your old reviews live in another app, importing them fills your product pages without asking anyone again.

Method 3: Ask for photo and video reviews by saying exactly what you want

Photos and video show a product in use, which text alone can't. Customers rarely add them unprompted, so ask.

Three things help:

  1. Say what you'd love to see ("a photo of it in your kitchen") in the request email
  2. Make clear it's optional, so a missing photo doesn't stop the review
  3. Keep the submission form simple, with as few steps as possible

Loox's academy recommends the same: a simple form, a mention of the reward in the email body, and featuring video reviews prominently, such as on your home page (checked October 13, 2026; the page shows no update date). (Loox Academy)

Plan matters here. The Shopify App Store listing shows photo reviews and a photo-review discount on the free plan, and video reviews as a Convert feature (Shopify App Store, checked October 13, 2026). Start with photos, and move up if you want video.

Method 4: Offer incentives only for real buyers, and never tie them to a positive rating

You can reward reviewers. What you can't do is reward only good ones. The short version: give the same reward to every verified buyer who leaves a review, whatever it says.

What the FTC rule says

The FTC's rule on consumer reviews and testimonials took effect on October 21, 2024. According to the FTC's staff Q&A (checked October 13, 2026):

  • Writing, buying, or selling fake reviews is prohibited, including reviews that misrepresent the reviewer's experience, such as someone who never used the product.
  • Offering compensation or incentives conditioned, expressly or implicitly, on a particular sentiment is prohibited. Disclosing the incentive doesn't fix that.
  • Incentives themselves are not banned, as long as they aren't conditioned on sentiment.
  • Suppressing reviews, for example through intimidation or unfounded legal threats, is prohibited.

The FTC itself says the Q&A is staff guidance that isn't definitive or comprehensive, so read the rule text if you sell to US shoppers. (FTC Q&A)

House rules that follow from it

  • Reward real purchasers only. No reviews from friends or family who didn't buy.
  • Don't vary the reward by star rating or tone, and never say "5-star reviewers get...".
  • Don't withdraw a reward or pressure someone to delete a review because it was negative.
  • Don't pass off staff or relatives' reviews as ordinary customer reviews.

Loox's discount feature works this way. Its help center (updated August 10, 2026) says discounts go to all customers who submit a photo or video review, regardless of rating or tone. You can use a percentage or fixed amount, one shared Shopify code or a unique code per review, and limit it to certain collections. (Loox help)

Method 5: Show the reviews you collect, so the next customer knows what to write

Displayed reviews get more reviews. When a buyer sees real photos and specific comments on the product page, it shows what a useful review looks like, and it shows that others have posted.

Common placements:

  • Product page: star rating and review list
  • Home page: a carousel of photo and video reviews
  • Cart page: a nudge just before checkout

On Shopify Online Store 2.0 themes, open the theme editor, choose Customize, then Add section, select Loox widget, place the app block, and save. Our review widgets guide compares the options.

Keep engaging after the reviews land. Reply when it helps, and contact customers who have a problem so you can fix it. Don't argue with critical reviewers or try to hide them. The FTC Q&A says sorting reviews by helpfulness or rating and contacting customers to resolve issues are allowed.

How to automate getting product reviews on Shopify with Loox

Each method above maps to a Loox feature:

MethodIn Loox
1. Ask after deliveryAutomatic request emails 1 to 70 days after purchase, fulfillment, or delivery
2. Ask past customersBonus Review Requests for orders up to 90 days before install
3. Photo and videoPhoto and video review form; video needs Convert or higher
4. IncentivesDiscount codes for photo and video reviews, given regardless of rating
5. DisplayWidgets for Online Store 2.0 themes

Try Loox free for 30 days

Pricing, from the Shopify App Store listing and the Loox pricing page, checked October 13, 2026 (USD, billed every 30 days):

  • Beginner: free, up to 500 orders in total. Includes review request emails and reminders and a discount for photo reviews
  • Convert: $49.99 per month, with 300 orders included and $50 per additional 300. 14-day free trial. Adds video reviews, Google Shopping, and more
  • Unlimited: $299.99 per month, 14-day free trial, with no cap on review requests

With a smaller store, the free plan covers review requests and photo-review rewards. See our Loox pricing guide for how to choose, or compare options in our Shopify review apps roundup.

Pricing source · 2026-09-06

FAQ

Can I give a discount for leaving a review? Yes, but don't tie it to a positive rating. Give it to every real buyer who leaves a review, whatever it says.

Can friends or family leave reviews? Not if they didn't buy and use the product. The FTC rule prohibits reviews that misrepresent the reviewer's experience.

Can I remove a negative review? Avoid removing reviews just because they're negative, and don't pressure the reviewer to delete one. The FTC rule prohibits suppressing reviews. If a review is factually wrong, reply or reach out directly.

When should I send the request? After delivery, with enough time to try the product. Our review request emails guide covers how to pick the timing.

Can I ask customers who bought before I installed the app? Orders from up to 90 days before install, yes, using Bonus Review Requests. It's only available for 90 days after installing.

Next step: install Loox and start on the free plan

You can install Loox from the Shopify App Store and start on the free Beginner plan. After installing, polish your email text and discount first, then schedule Bonus Review Requests for the last 90 days of orders. Then set timing for new orders and add the widget to your product page.

Official sources checked (October 13, 2026)