Most review request emails are written by nobody, for everybody: a template that shipped with an app, a subject line with a star emoji, a big branded button. They get the response rate they deserve. The examples below are built on the one insight that changes everything: you are not asking for a favour, you are asking a real person a real question, and the email should read like exactly that.
Timing matters as much as wording, and we covered it separately in the timing guide. Here we deal with the words. Seven that work, three that fail, and why.
The seven that get answers
1. The honest question
Subject: How's the [product]?
Hi [first name], Kevin here from [brand]. Your [product] was delivered a few days ago and I wanted to check: how is it? If anything is off, just reply to this email and I will sort it personally. And if you are happy with it, it would mean a lot if you shared your experience here: [link]. Either way, thank you for ordering from us.
Why it works: a person, a genuine question, and the problem-path comes before the review-path, which routes issues to your inbox instead of your profile.
2. The two-line version
Subject: Quick question about your order
Hi [first name], did the [product] live up to what you expected? Honest answer here, takes a minute: [link]. Thanks, Kevin.
Why it works: brevity signals respect. Some audiences answer the short ask at double the rate of the long one. Test both.
3. The "you would help others" frame
Hi [first name], before buying, you probably checked what other customers said about us. That is exactly why reviews matter: the next person deciding is reading them right now. If you have two minutes, tell them how your [product] worked out, the honest version: [link].
Why it works: it names the true beneficiary. People write for other people more readily than for brands.
4. The post-resolution ask
Hi [first name], glad we could sort out [the issue] for you. If you feel the way we handled it deserves a mention, an honest review would mean a lot, whatever you choose to write: [link]. Thanks for your patience with us.
Why it works: recovered customers write the most persuasive reviews in commerce. Note what it never does: condition the invitation on the outcome, the line that separates recovery from gating, as explained in the DMCC guide.
5. The repeat customer
Hi [first name], I noticed this is your [second/third] order with us, which honestly is the best compliment a small brand can get. If you have ever thought about leaving a review, now would be a wonderful moment, no pressure at all: [link].
Why it works: it acknowledges the relationship. Your repeat buyers are your most credible reviewers and almost nobody asks them specifically.
6. The reminder that does not nag
Subject: Still curious what you think
Hi [first name], I asked last week how the [product] was treating you, and I know inboxes eat things. If you have a minute, the question stands: [link]. If not, no hard feelings, this is the last time I will ask.
Why it works: it admits being a reminder, and "this is the last time" is both polite and true. One reminder only.
7. The plain-text founder note
Subject: A small ask
Hi [first name], I run [brand]. Every review we get is read by someone deciding whether to trust us, which is why I ask every customer, happy or not, to write one honest sentence about their experience: [link]. Whatever you write, thank you for being one of our customers this year.
Why it works: "happy or not" is doing enormous work: it signals authenticity to the customer, and it happens to be exactly what the platform rules require.
The three that fail
- The star beggar. "Rate us 5 stars!" with five golden stars in the design. It suggests the desired answer (a platform violation), reads as needy, and collects resentment. Never name a number.
- The bribe. "Leave a review and get 10% off your next order." Incentivised reviews break Trustpilot and Google rules and, in the UK, walk into consumer law. The discount goes in a thank-you email that never mentions reviews.
- The corporate blast. Full-width banner, three CTAs, product recommendations at the bottom. The review ask is competing with your own upsells. One email, one job.
The mechanics under all seven
- Send from a person, with a first name to reply to, not noreply@.
- Plain text beats design for this specific email: it reads as a note, not a campaign.
- Reply-path before review-path: every template above invites problems to the inbox first. That single ordering decision protects your profile more than any wording.
- One link, one platform per email. Choosing where to send them is a strategy question we covered in Trustpilot vs Google.
These templates are the manual version of what should eventually run automatically on every order, at the right moment, with the unhappy answers caught and handled. Building that machine for brands is what we do, and seeing what your current ask (or its absence) is costing you is what the free audit is for.
FAQ
Should the email come from the founder even in a bigger store?
A real person outperforms a brand voice at any size. If not the founder, a named team member with a reply-able address.
Can I A/B test review request emails?
Yes, and you should: subject, length and send delay are the three highest-yield tests, in that order of surprise.
Is it okay to link directly to the review form?
Yes, the fewer clicks the better, as long as the invitation itself stays neutral: honest review, no suggested rating, everyone invited.
What response rate is realistic?
Wildly variable by audience and timing: from low single digits for generic blasts to several times that for well-timed personal notes. The gap between those two numbers is this entire article.