Most happy customers never leave a review. Not because they don’t want to, but because nobody asked them at the right moment, in the right way, with a link that took 10 seconds to use. If you sell high-ticket products or services, that silence is expensive. Shoppers spending $8,000 on a sauna or $15,000 on an outdoor kitchen read reviews obsessively before they pick up the phone.
This guide shows you how to ask customers for reviews at each stage of a big purchase. You get the best moments to ask, the channels that work, word-for-word scripts for in person, phone, text and packaging inserts, how to make leaving a review easy, and the practices that are off-limits under FTC rules and Google policy.
I have sold online since 2005 and started my business in October 2010. On my own high-ticket stores, we asked for reviews after delivery with Judge.me on Shopify and Klaviyo emails, and we pushed buyers toward Google Business Profile and Trustpilot. I later founded Ecommerce Paradise to teach this stuff, and today I build stores for clients selling saunas, cold plunges, fitness equipment and HVAC. Here is the system I would set up for any of them.
Why Most Businesses Don’t Get Enough Reviews
Usually it comes down to 3 problems. They don’t ask at all, they ask at the wrong time, or they make the customer work too hard. A generic “rate us” email sent the day an order ships, before a 600-pound hot tub even arrives, checks all 3 boxes.
High-ticket sales add a twist. The buying journey is long, and it has several emotional peaks: the day the product arrives, the day installation wraps up, the first week of use, and the moment your team fixes a problem. Each peak is a chance to ask. Each one also needs a slightly different request.
When to Ask for Reviews in a High-Ticket Buying Journey
Timing is the single biggest lever you control. Ask when the customer is happiest and the experience is fresh. Here is how I map it for big purchases.
| Moment | Best time to ask | Best channel | What to ask about |
|---|---|---|---|
| After delivery | 1 to 3 days after confirmed delivery | Email or SMS | Delivery, packaging, communication |
| After installation | Same day or next day | In person, then SMS or email | Install crew, scheduling, cleanup |
| After first use | 2 to 4 weeks after delivery | The product itself, quality, results | |
| After a support win | Right after the issue is resolved | Phone, then email | Service and support |
| B2B or commercial project | After sign-off or commissioning | Email from the account manager | Project management, the product, support |
After Delivery
Do not trigger your review request when the order ships. Trigger it when the carrier or your freight partner confirms delivery. Freight shipments can take 1 to 3 weeks, and asking someone to review a product that is still on a truck guarantees either silence or a frustrated review.
After Installation
For anything installed, like saunas, spas, HVAC systems or outdoor kitchens, the install day is often the peak moment. The customer just watched your crew turn a pile of crates into a working product. That is when to ask, ideally in person and then followed by a text with the link.
After First Use
A buyer can judge delivery on day 1, but they can only judge a cold plunge or a home gym after using it for a few weeks. Send a second request focused on the product itself. On a Shopify store, this is where a product review app request does its best work.
After a Support Win
Customers whose problem you fixed quickly often become your loudest fans. When a support ticket closes with a happy customer, that is a perfect time to ask. Just make sure you ask because the issue is solved, not only when you expect a glowing review. More on that in the compliance section below.
Which Channels to Use
Use more than 1 channel, but never spam. A good default for a high-ticket seller is 1 in-person or phone ask, 1 email, and 1 gentle reminder. Here is how each channel works.
In Person
Your installer, delivery lead or showroom staff have the strongest relationship with the customer. A face-to-face ask converts better than any email, as long as you follow up with a link the same day. Give staff a short script and a card with a QR code.
Phone
If you sell over the phone like we did, your sales rep already has rapport. A quick follow-up call a week after delivery to check in works well. Ask if everything is working, answer questions, and only then ask for a review and offer to text the link.
Email is the workhorse because it can be automated off delivery or fulfillment events. Keep it short, personal and focused on 1 link. For copy-paste versions, see our review request email templates, which include post-delivery, post-installation and reminder emails.
SMS
Texts get read fast, which makes them great for the install-day ask. They also carry the most compliance risk. Only text customers who have agreed to receive texts from you, identify your business, and include opt-out instructions. More on consent below.
Packaging Insert or Leave-Behind Card
A printed card in the box or left with the owner’s manual is a simple reminder. Include a QR code that goes straight to your review page and a single sentence asking for honest feedback. Do not print anything about discounts for reviews on it.
Word-for-Word Scripts
Adapt these to your business. The names below are examples, and the bracketed parts should be swapped for real details.
In-Person Script for Installers
“Everything is up and running. Before I head out, can I ask you a quick favor? We’re a small team, and honest reviews help other people decide whether to buy from us. I’m going to text you a link. If you have 2 minutes this week, we’d really appreciate you sharing how the install went, good or bad.”
Phone Script for a Check-In Call
“Hi Sarah, it’s Mike from [Business Name]. I’m calling to see how the sauna is working out now that you’ve had it a couple of weeks. [Listen and answer questions.] I’m glad to hear it. Last thing: would you be open to leaving an honest review about your experience? I can text or email you the link right now. Which is easier?”
Script After a Support Win
“I’m glad we got the heater sorted out. Thanks for your patience while we tracked down that part. If you’re willing, we’d love an honest review of how we handled it. I’ll send you a link by email in a few minutes.”
Short SMS Ask
“Hi Sarah, it’s Mike from [Business Name]. Thanks for having us out today. If you have 2 minutes, an honest review would help us a lot: [link] Reply STOP to opt out.”
Packaging Insert Copy
“Thanks for choosing [Business Name]. Your honest review helps other shoppers make a big decision with confidence. Scan the code to share your experience. Questions or problems? Call us first at [phone] and we’ll make it right.”
That last line matters. You want customers with problems to reach you, but the card must not steer only happy customers to the review link. Every customer gets the same request.
Make Leaving a Review Easy
Every extra click costs you reviews. The goal is 1 tap from the request to the review box.
- Use a direct review link, never “search for us on Google.”
- Send 1 link per request. Giving 4 platform options causes decision paralysis.
- Make sure the link works on mobile, because most people will open it on their phone.
- Use a QR code on printed cards, invoices and install paperwork.
- Pre-fill the product on your own site’s review form when your app supports it.
How to Get Your Google Review Link
Google’s help page on how to create a Google link or QR code to request reviews lists the current steps. On a computer, open your Business Profile, select Read Reviews, then select Get more reviews. From there you can copy the link or right-click the QR code to save it. Google notes that QR codes cannot be generated on mobile.
Google’s tips to get more reviews also point out that customers need to be signed in to a Google Account to leave a review. Mention that in your request if your buyers skew older or less tech-savvy. For a deeper look at Google specifically, read our guide on how to get more Google reviews.
Which Platforms to Ask For
You do not need reviews everywhere. Pick 1 or 2 platforms that matter for your buyers and rotate if you want spread.
- Google Business Profile: the default for most local and high-ticket businesses, since reviews show beside your phone number and directions.
- Your own product pages: use a review app like Judge.me on Shopify or Klaviyo Reviews so shoppers see reviews right next to the buy button.
- Trustpilot or similar third-party sites: useful for online-only sellers that want independent-looking reviews.
- Industry directories: a platform like Review Paradise focuses on the whole big-purchase experience, from advice to installation and support.
There is an exception. Yelp has long discouraged businesses from asking for Yelp reviews. If Yelp matters in your area, focus on great service and great replies there, and read our guide on how to respond to negative reviews.
What’s Off-Limits: FTC Rules and Google Policy
This is where well-meaning business owners get into trouble.
The FTC’s final rule on consumer reviews and testimonials, 16 CFR Part 465, took effect on October 21, 2024. Google has its own rules on top of that, and in some areas they are stricter. I’m not a lawyer and this is not legal advice. Rules change, so check the current guidance before you launch a review program.
Review Gating
Review gating means sending a quick “how did we do?” survey and only sending the review link to people who say they are happy. It feels clever. It is a bad idea.
The FTC’s Endorsement Guides FAQ addresses this directly and says no to asking only customers likely to be happy if it substantially skews your reviews. Google’s prohibited and restricted content policy also lists discouraging negative reviews or selectively soliciting positive reviews as rating manipulation. Ask everyone, every time.
Incentives
Under the FTC rule, you cannot offer anything in exchange for a review that is conditioned, explicitly or implicitly, on the review being positive or negative. The FTC’s guide for marketers on soliciting reviews adds that even an unconditioned incentive should be disclosed in the review.
Google goes further. Its policy prohibits offering incentives such as payment, discounts or free goods in exchange for posting any review on Google, positive or not. So a “$50 off your next order for a review” offer is out for Google, and risky elsewhere.
Employee, Family and Insider Reviews
Do not ask staff, relatives or business partners to review your business. The FTC rule requires insider reviews to clearly disclose the relationship, and the FTC guide says not to ask your staff to write reviews unless they disclose that you employ them. Google treats reviews based on a conflict of interest, including current or former employment, as a policy violation.
Buying Reviews or Asking Non-Customers
Never buy reviews, use review exchange groups, or ask people who have not used your product. The FTC rule bans writing, buying or selling fake reviews, and the FTC guide says not to ask for reviews from people who have not used or experienced the product or service. AI-written reviews count as fake too.
Quick Reference Table
| Practice | FTC (16 CFR Part 465 and guidance) | Google policy |
|---|---|---|
| Asking every customer for an honest review | Allowed | Allowed |
| Asking only happy customers (gating) | Risky, may be deceptive | Prohibited |
| Incentive tied to a positive review | Prohibited | Prohibited |
| Incentive for any honest review | Disclosure expected | Prohibited |
| Employee or family reviews | Must disclose the relationship | Conflict of interest, prohibited |
| Buying fake reviews | Prohibited | Prohibited |
| Threats or pressure to remove bad reviews | Prohibited as review suppression | Prohibited |
For the full list of what the rule covers, read the FTC’s Consumer Reviews and Testimonials Rule Q&A. It is written for businesses and worth 20 minutes of your time.
What to Do When the Customer Had a Problem
High-ticket orders rarely go perfectly. A freight delay, a missing bolt kit or a rescheduled install crew is normal in this business. The temptation is to skip the review request for those customers. Do not do that, because skipping them is exactly the kind of selective soliciting the rules warn about.
Instead, fix the problem first, then send the same request everyone else gets. Many customers who had a hiccup that you handled well will tell that story in their review, and shoppers trust those reviews more than a wall of perfect 5-star ratings.
If the customer is still unhappy, they may leave a critical review. That is fine. Reply to it calmly and treat it as feedback.
Train your team on this too. Installers and sales reps should never decide on their own who gets asked. Put the request on every job checklist so it happens for every customer, every time.
Track What Works
Once your requests are running, check the numbers once a month. Look at how many customers you asked, how many left a review, and which channel and timing produced the most responses. Most review apps and email tools show open and click rates, and you can count new Google reviews in your Business Profile.
Change 1 thing at a time. Test a shorter subject line, a different send day or an install-day text, then compare the next month. Small tweaks add up when every review helps close a $10,000 sale.
Build a Simple Review Request System
You do not need expensive software to start. Here is a checklist you can set up this week.
- Pick your main platform, usually Google Business Profile.
- Grab your Google review link and QR code.
- Write a 2-sentence in-person script for installers and delivery leads.
- Print leave-behind cards with the QR code and your support number.
- Set up an automated email triggered by confirmed delivery, not shipment.
- Add a second email 2 to 4 weeks later asking about the product itself.
- Add 1 reminder email to people who have not reviewed yet, then stop.
- Only add SMS for customers who agreed to receive texts.
- Send the same request to every customer, regardless of how you think they feel.
- Reply to every review, positive and negative, within a week.
If you outgrow a manual setup, our roundup of the best review management software compares tools that automate requests across platforms. Start simple, though, because the process matters more than the tool.
How Review Paradise Fits In
Review Paradise is a directory and review platform built around big purchases like saunas, hot tubs, outdoor living, furniture and fitness equipment. Reviews cover the full experience, including advice before the sale, delivery, installation, use and support. Submissions are moderated under our review guidelines, and purchase verification is not available yet.
Business owners can see how listings work on our for businesses page. Shoppers can research sellers in the business directory, and a listing is not an endorsement.
Questions People Ask
What is the best way to ask customers for reviews?
Ask in person or by phone at the moment the customer is happiest, then follow up the same day with a direct link by email or text. Keep the request short, ask for honest feedback, and send it to every customer.
How do you ask clients for reviews without being pushy?
Ask once in person, send 1 email and 1 reminder, then stop. Frame it as a favor that helps other buyers, make the link 1 tap, and never follow up a third time.
Can I offer a discount for a review?
Not for Google reviews, because Google prohibits incentives for posting any review. Under FTC rules, an incentive cannot be conditioned on a positive review and should be disclosed. Check each platform’s rules before offering anything.
Is review gating illegal?
The FTC’s Q&A says the final rule does not specifically ban it, but that the practice could still violate the FTC Act. The FTC’s Endorsement Guides FAQ and Google’s policy both treat selective soliciting as a problem. Ask all customers instead.
How soon after a purchase should I ask for a review?
For shipped products, 1 to 3 days after confirmed delivery. For installed products, on install day. For a product review, 2 to 4 weeks after delivery so the customer has used it.
Should I ask for reviews on more than 1 platform?
You can, but ask for 1 platform per request. Many businesses focus on Google first, collect product reviews on their own site through a review app, and rotate a third platform for some customers.
Your Next Step
Grab your Google review link today, write a 2-sentence script for your delivery and install team, and set your email request to trigger on confirmed delivery. Then use our email and SMS templates to write the follow-ups.
If you sell high-ticket products or services, visit our page for businesses to see how Review Paradise works. Shoppers can start in the business directory.
Related Articles
- Review Request Email Templates
- How to Get More Google Reviews
- How to Respond to Negative Reviews
- How to Collect Customer Feedback
- Best Review Management Software
Trevor Fenner is the founder of Review Paradise and Ecommerce Paradise. He writes about high-ticket brands and retailers, customer experiences, and building ecommerce businesses.
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