How to Collect & Manage Customer Reviews on BigCommerce

Collecting and managing BigCommerce customer reviews is made easy once you set up the correct system. You can either utilize built-in reviews or an app like WiserReview to gain more control.

You add a review form, send out automatic requests, and then publish the best reviews in a clean layout – all of which can be done in just a few minutes.

You can track new reviews, respond to customers, and keep everything organised in one place, which helps provide transparent, trustworthy feedback.

This guide tells you step by step so you can collect more reviews and manage them without confusion.

Setting up reviews in BigCommerce

BigCommerce offers several methods for collecting customer feedback. You may use the tools built into the platform itself or custom review applications to improve usability.  

Enabling the built-in review feature

BigCommerce includes a native review system that works straight out of the box. You can activate it through your store’s dashboard without any coding knowledge. 

To enable it, navigate to Apps > settings > Comments > Built-in, then select Product Reviews. Once activated, a review form appears automatically on your product pages. For better quality control, enable the “Only accept product reviews from past customers” option. 

Once enabled, reviews will appear on product pages. You can edit, approve, or remove reviews in the admin under Products • Reviews.

Choosing a review app or plugin

If you want more control over how reviews are gathered and displayed, using third-party review applications can offer some advantages over built-in tools. 

For example, many apps, such as WiserReview, support text, photo & video reviews and offer more customized display options in themed layouts. Plus, they integrate well with BigCommerce.

WiserReview is especially beneficial for BigCommerce customers because it manages the entire review lifecycle.

Automated collection of reviews via email or WhatsApp, moderated between AI-filtered reviews, and customizable widgets (carousels, popups, badges, or review walls), all designed for you to fit within any page structure.  

Define your review policy

Before collecting reviews, sort out your review policy. This will help you to establish clear guidelines for what you’ll accept and display, and it’ll help to build trust and keep your feedback consistent.

What to include in your policy:

• Acceptance criteria (verified purchases only, language requirements)
• Moderation process (how quickly reviews are approved)
• Prohibited content (profanity, competitor mentions, promotional content)
• How you handle negative reviews (publicly respond, resolve privately)

Having a policy in place (e.g., stuck in your site’s footer or help centre) ensures reviewers and your team know what’s on and off limits.

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Collecting customer reviews

Getting reviews requires more than hoping customers will leave feedback on their own. You need systems that prompt, remind, and motivate shoppers at the right moments.

1. Review automation

WiserReview helps you collect reviews on BigCommerce by sending automatic review request emails after each order. You set the delay based on delivery time, add a reminder for customers who missed the first email, and include a simple one-click link to the review form.

Go to WiserReview > Automations > Review Request Email → set the delay → add a reminder → save.

You can also customize the message for different products and order types, so every customer receives an explicit, relevant request at the right moment.

2. Timing your review request

The right timing improves response rates. Send the first request only after the customer has received and used the product. Test different timing windows for your specific products. 

Track response rates and adjust accordingly. 

Best practices for timing:

• Physical products: 5-7 days after delivery (gives time to use the item)
• Digital products: 1-2 days after purchase (no shipping delay)
• Services: Immediately after completion
• High-value items: 10-14 days (customers need more time to form opinions)

3. Channels to collect reviews

Make it easy for customers to leave feedback by offering multiple channels for submitting reviews. 

Email requests, on-site review forms, shareable review links, packaging inserts, and QR codes – the more you offer, the more chances you’ve got of collecting reviews from different types of shoppers.

4. Incentives and motivation

Small incentives can significantly boost review submissions, but use them carefully to maintain authenticity. Stores commonly use discount codes, loyalty rewards, or small perks to encourage future orders.

Important note: Never incentivize positive reviews specifically; only incentivize leaving a review regardless of rating. Offering rewards only for 5-star reviews violates most platform policies and destroys trust.

5. Ask the right kinds of questions

Focused questions lead to more straightforward, helpful reviews. Ask about product quality, ease of use, size or fit, delivery experience, and what the customer liked or didn’t like.  

For different product categories, customize questions.

6. Embedding reviews from external platforms

If you already have reviews from platforms like Google, Amazon, Etsy, or Facebook, you can embed or import them into your BigCommerce store. 

This helps keep all your feedback in one place and shows new shoppers that you’ve got substantial proof.

Displaying reviews on your store

Collecting reviews is only half the equation. How and where you display them determines whether they actually influence buying decisions.

BigCommerce review widgets

The built-in BigCommerce system displays reviews in a basic list format below product descriptions. While functional, this placement and design often fail to capture attention.

WiserReview gives you modern, customizable widgets that blend with any BigCommerce theme. You can choose layouts like a clean review list, grid cards, photo-first displays, or a carousel. Each widget supports star ratings, text reviews, photos, videos, filters, and sorting.

How to display:

Go to WiserReview > Widgets > Product Reviews Widget → click Customize → copy the widget code → go to BigCommerce Page Builder → paste it into your product page section → save.

Placement and visibility

Put the main review widget below the product details and near the “Add to Cart” section. Keep the review form easy to find, and avoid hiding it in tabs or long dropdowns.

Design + layout best practices

Visual design affects whether customers read reviews or scroll past them. Use clean spacing, clear star ratings, readable text, and a simple filter or sort option. Clean, scannable layouts win. 

SEO benefits of reviews

Reviews aren’t just trust signals for humans; they’re powerful SEO assets that improve search visibility.

How reviews help SEO:

• Fresh, user-generated content updates pages regularly (search engines love this)
• Natural keyword usage in customer language (matches real search queries)
• Increased dwell time as visitors read reviews (positive ranking signal)

Showcasing both positive and negative feedback

Displaying only 5-star reviews is a dead giveaway that you’re trying to manipulate shoppers. Showing a range of ratings, including constructive criticism, actually increases trust and conversions.

Research shows that customers trust products with ratings between 4.2 and 4.7 stars more than “perfect” 5.0 ratings. Mixed reviews signal authenticity. 

Managing and responding to reviews

Collecting reviews is continuous work. Managing them effectively ensures quality content stays visible while maintaining customer relationships.

Moderation workflows

Every review should pass through moderation before going live. This protects your store from spam, inappropriate content, and competitor sabotage. 

WiserReview gives you a clean dashboard to review feedback before it goes live. You can approve genuine reviews, filter out spam, and edit minor formatting issues. 

How to manage:
Go to WiserReview > Reviews → open the Pending tab → approve, reject, or edit the review → click Publish.

How to respond:
Inside the same review panel, click Reply → write your response → save.

Responding to feedback

Reply to both positive and negative reviews in a clear, helpful tone. Thank customers for good feedback and address issues directly when something goes wrong. Fast, honest responses show strong customer care. 

Use review analytics

Track patterns in ratings, product mentions, and common phrases. Analytics help you identify strong products, detect issues early, and understand what customers value the most.

Integrating reviews into other channels

Your BigCommerce reviews shouldn’t live only on your website. Maximize their value by distributing them across all marketing channels. 

Use reviews in email marketing, social posts, product ads, and landing pages. Highlighting real customer experiences helps build trust across all touchpoints.

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5 Common pitfalls and how to avoid them

Collecting and showing customer reviews is useful, but only if you do it right. Avoid these common mistakes to keep your review section trustworthy and effective.

1. Asking for reviews too early (before customer experience)

Sending a review request before the product arrives confuses customers and generates meaningless responses. You need customers actually to experience what they bought.

The fix: For physical products, wait 5-7 days post-delivery. For complex items requiring setup, extend to 10-14 days. 

2. Only soliciting positive reviews (reduces trust)

“If you loved it, leave us a review!” signals you’re curating feedback, not collecting honest opinions. This approach destroys credibility when customers notice.

The fix: Ask all customers for reviews regardless of their likely sentiment. Use neutral language: “How was your experience?” not “Share why you loved it!” 

3. Hiding or deleting negative reviews (can backfire)

Removing or hiding bad feedback damages trust. Customers expect to see honest opinions when negative reviews vanish; it raises suspicion. 

The fix: Embrace negative reviews as opportunities. Respond constructively, show you’re addressing issues, and use criticism to improve. 

4. Having poorly displayed reviews or no visible reviews at all

If reviews are hard to find, buried, or missing entirely, shoppers may skip them and trust drops. 

The fix: Use prominent placement strategies. Put star ratings and review snippets above the fold near CTAs. Use eye-catching widgets, such as WiserReview’s carousels and badges.

5. Ignoring reviews rather than engaging with them

Collecting reviews but never responding sends a message: you don’t really care about customer feedback. This discourages future reviewers and misses opportunities to build relationships. 

The fix: Set up a response workflow. Even simple “Thanks for your feedback!” messages show attentiveness. For negative reviews, respond within 24 hours with solutions. For positive reviews, express genuine gratitude. 

Wrap up

BigCommerce reviews generate more value when you gather them consistently and present them in high-visibility places so that shoppers can review real customer experiences. A defined process allows you to build trust more quickly. 

WiserReview provides that process by automating review requests, organizing everything in a single platform, and making it easy to display reviews in a clean layout that blends with your store’s style. 

You spend less time managing reviews and more time growing your sales. 

If you want more impactful social proof with less manual effort, let WiserReview handle it. In turn, this gives your customers a simple way to share their voice and helps your store look more credible with every review. 

Article by

Krunal

Krunal Vaghasia is the founder of WiserReview and an eCommerce expert in review management and social proof. He helps brands build trust through fair, flexible, and customer-driven review systems. Read more.