The Amazon Early Reviewer Program was a now-defunct Amazon initiative designed to help sellers acquire initial product reviews for new or low-review products. Amazon would solicit reviews from customers who had already purchased the product, offering a small incentive (e.g., a gift card of $1-3) in exchange for their honest feedback. The goal was to build social proof for new listings, which is crucial for conversion rates and discoverability on the platform [2].
Amazon discontinued the Early Reviewer Program because its efficacy dwindled, and Amazon shifted focus to other review-generation methods. While it provided an incentive for early buyers to leave feedback, the program eventually became less impactful compared to other strategies like Amazon Vine. Sellers must continuously monitor and adapt their review acquisition tactics, as the Amazon marketplace evolves and its policies change [1].
With the Amazon Early Reviewer Program gone, sellers now rely on alternative strategies. Amazon Vine is a prominent option, where trusted reviewers receive free products to provide feedback. Other strategies include optimizing product listings for discoverability to naturally attract reviews, leveraging follow-up emails (within Amazon's guidelines), and utilizing PPC campaigns to drive initial sales and subsequent organic reviews [3]. Continuous attention to review generation is not a "set it and forget it" task [1].