commerce-ugc-prompts

# Commerce UGC Prompts Generate review + photo + video prompts that fire at the right post-delivery moment, with platform-TOS-compliant incentive structures. UGC (user-generated content) compounds: each review prompts the next conversion. Timing and incentive structure determine whether it works or backfires. ## When to Use Trigger phrases: "review prompt", "UGC prompt", "ask for a photo review", "request a video testimonial", "post-delivery review email", "incentivize UGC", `/commerce ugc-prompts <product-type>`. Do NOT use for: full post-purchase sequence (use `commerce-postpurchase-thankyou`), responding to a review (use `commerce-review-response`), TikTok creator-affiliate brief (use `commerce-tiktok-shop`). ## Inputs **Required:** - `product_type` - consumable / durable / cosmetic / apparel / service / digital - `platform` - Shopify | Amazon | Etsy | Trustpilot | Google | TikTok Shop | Walmart | other. **Determines incentive constraints.** **Optional:** - `review_platform` - Yotpo | Okendo | Loox | Stamped | Judge.me | Trustpilot | Amazon native | Etsy native | Google Business | TikTok Shop native - `incentive_capacity` - none / fixed dollar / percent off next order / loyalty points / charity donation - `brand_voice` - `existing_review_count` - informs whether to lead with social proof - `out_path` If `product_type` or `platform` is missing, ask before generating. ## Platform anti-incentive rules (read first) Different platforms have different rules about what you can offer in exchange for a review. Get this wrong and you risk account suspension or review removal. | Platform | Incentive policy | |---|---| | **Amazon** | **No incentives whatsoever** for reviews. Even free product → review is a "Vine Voices" exclusive program; outside Vine, any free / discounted product offered conditional on a review is a TOS violation. Asking for "honest reviews" without conditional offer is fine. | | **Etsy** | No conditional incentives. May ask for review; may not offer compensation in exchange. | | **Trustpilot** | **Strictest in this category.** Inviting all customers equally is fine. **Any compensation, discount, gift, or store credit "in exchange for an updated, removed, or revised review" is prohibited.** Even framing it as "thank you for the review" is risky if it follows the review and looks like a quid-pro-quo. | | **Google Business reviews** | Google's policy prohibits offering incentives in exchange for reviews. Asking is fine. | | **Walmart Marketplace** | Similar to Amazon - no incentives in exchange for reviews. | | **Shopify storefront (Yotpo, Okendo, Loox, Judge.me)** | Generally permitted: discount on next order, loyalty points, photo-review bonus. **The discount must be offered to all buyers, not conditional on review content (positive or negative).** Yotpo, Okendo, Loox have built-in "discount-after-review" logic that is compliant when the discount fires regardless of star rating. | | **TikTok Shop native reviews** | Conditional incentives for content (UGC video tagged on the listing) are permitted via the creator-affiliate program. Direct review incentives - same as Amazon (avoid). | **Bottom line:** - For Amazon, Walmart, Etsy, Trustpilot, Google: **never offer compensation conditional on a review**. Send the prompt; thank the customer regardless. - For Shopify storefront review platforms: discount-after-review is fine when the discount is unconditional on rating. - For TikTok Shop UGC: route through creator-affiliate program (`commerce-tiktok-shop`), not this skill. ## Workflow ### Phase 1: Timing per product type Default delivery-to-prompt windows: | Product type | Best window | Why | |---|---|---| | **Consumable** (food, supplements, beauty replenishables) | **D+14** | Used long enough to evaluate effect / taste | | **Cosmetic / skincare** | **D+21** | Skin results visible after ~3 weeks | | **Apparel** | **D+7** | Worn, washed once, fit confirmed | | **Durable** (home goods, electronics, furniture) | **D+30** | Used long enough to evaluate quality and durability | | **Service** | **D+3** | Recall is fresh | | **Digital / SaaS** | **D+14 + D+30** | Two prompts - first impressions + sustained value | | **Gift purchases (any category)** | Adjust to D+gift_date+N rather than D+order+N | Buyer may not have used the product yet | For Amazon, the platform itself sends a review request at variable intervals; piling another email on top is permitted but should be timed to NOT overlap. ### Phase 2: Prompt copy template Each prompt is a single email (or SMS) with: 1. **Subject:** specific to the product (not "leave a review") 2. **Body (≤ 150 words):** - Acknowledge they've had it for N days - One specific question that gets a real answer (not "how is it?" but "is the leather softening yet?") - Single review CTA - link directly to the review platform's submission form, pre-filled with the product if possible - **Photo / video prompt** if applicable: explicit ask, with constraints ("a photo of the product in your space", "a 15-30 second clip showing it in use") - **Incentive disclosure** (only if your platform permits) - clearly state the discount/credit is offered to all reviewers regardless of rating 3. **CTA:** primary = leave review; secondary (optional) = upload photo / video; tertiary (optional) = referral program 4. **Anti-pattern check:** the email must work as well for a 5-star review as for a 2-star review. If the copy reads as fishing for positive only, rewrite. ### Phase 3: Photo + video prompt copy Photo and video reviews are **3-5x more useful** than text-only for converting future buyers. Specific asks beat generic. **Photo prompt:** - Short, generous: "A photo of the <product> in your kitchen / bedroom / bag" - name the context. - Mention the technical floor: "Phone-camera quality is more than enough - no studio shot needed." - If your review platform supports auto-import (Loox, Okendo from Instagram), say so: "Or tag us @<brand> on Instagram and we'll pull it in for you." **Video prompt (only if appropriate to product type):** - 15-30 seconds. - One specific moment: "Show the <product> in use - first 5 seconds, on-screen text if you want." - For TikTok-Shop-eligible products: route to creator-affiliate program; this skill is for owned-channel video prompts. ### Phase 4: SMS variant For short text-review platforms (Trustpilot, Google Business), an SMS variant is fine. For photo / video prompts, email is better - phones can compose photos but the email has the link. SMS template (≤ 160 chars, TCPA-quiet-hours aware): ``` Hi {{ first_name|default:'there' }} - quick favor: would you leave a 1-line review of your <product>? <short link> Reply STOP to opt out. ``` ### Phase 5: Incentive structure (platform-aware) **Permitted (Shopify storefront / owned channel):** - "10% off your next order after you submit a review (any rating)" - "100 loyalty points for any review; 200 for a photo review (any rating)" - "We donate $1 to <charity> per review submitted (any rating)" - "Featured customer of the week - submit a photo and we'll pick one to feature on our IG" **Prohibited (Amazon, Etsy, Trustpilot, Google, Walmart):** - Anything conditional on rating - Anything tied to "5-star reviews only" - Anything offered after a review with the implicit expectation of an update ### Phase 6: Sanity check - Timing matches product type - Email copy works for any rating - Photo / video ask is specific and generous - Incentive structure is platform-compliant - TCPA quiet hours respected on SMS - No anti-pattern (rating-conditional incentive, fishing for 5-stars) ## Output Schema Write to resolved `out_path`: ```markdown # UGC Prompt Sequence: <product_type> **Platform:** <platform> **Review platform:** <review_platform> **Date drafted:** <YYYY-MM-DD> ## Timing - Best window: D+<N> from delivery - Reasoning: <one line> ## Email Prompt **Subject A / B / C:** ... **Preview:** ... **Body:** [≤ 150 words] **Review CTA:** <link to review platform> **Photo CTA (if applicable):** ... **Video CTA (if applicable):** ... ## SMS Variant (if SMS opt-in) [≤ 160 chars + STOP/HELP] ## Incentive Structure - Type: <none / discount / loyalty points / charity / feature> - Platform compliance: ✅ / 🚫 - Conditional on rating: NO (verified) - Disclosed in copy: yes / no ## Anti-pattern Audit - Copy works for 2★ as well as 5★: yes / no - No fishing for positive only: yes / no - No off-platform contact in Amazon/Etsy/Walmart copy: yes / no ## Recommended next steps - Wire flow trigger in Klaviyo / ESP: "Order delivered N days ago AND order contains <product_type tag>" - Connect review platform's auto-publish webhook so reviews surface on PDP - Run `/commerce review-response` to align reply scripts with this prompt cadence - Run `/commerce postpurchase-thankyou` if not already in place - UGC prompt sits naturally at D+<N> in that sequence ``` ## Templates / Examples ### Example A - Cosmetic / skincare ($35 serum, Shopify + Loox, casual voice, D+21) **Email:** Subject A: Three weeks in - what's your skin saying? Subject B: D+21 - the question we actually want to hear Subject C: Photo bonus - share your week-3 with the serum Body: ``` {{ first_name|default:'Hey' }} - You've had the <serum> for three weeks now. By now your skin has had time to actually respond - most users see the strongest shift between week 2 and week 4. One specific question: are you seeing the change you hoped for, or is something off? [Leave a review - any rating, any length] If you'd like to share a before/after or a current selfie, you can [upload a photo here] or tag us @<brand> on Instagram. Phone-camera quality is more than enough. A small thank-you: every review (any rating) earns 100 points; photo reviews earn 200. Points apply on your next order. - The team ``` ### Example B - Apparel ($89 sneaker, Shopify + Okendo, casual voice, D+7) **Email:** Subject A: Week 1 - how do they fit? Subject B: 7 days in - quick check-in Subject C: Photo prompt - your sneakers in the wild Body: ``` You've had the Field Sneakers for a week. Two questions, one CTA: 1. **Fit** - true-to-size, or wish you'd sized differently? 2. **Break-in** - softening at the toe box yet? [Leave a 1-line review (any rating)] Bonus: if you snap a photo of the sneakers in the wild - at the trail, on the subway, wherever - you can [upload it here] or tag @<brand>. We pick one shot a week to feature. 10% off your next order after you submit a review, any rating, no minimum. - The Field team ``` ### Example C - Amazon ($24 coffee bag, Amazon native review, formal voice, D+14, NO INCENTIVE) **Email** (sent via brand-site if customer also opted in to brand newsletter - Amazon does not allow seller-direct review-prompt emails outside Amazon's own messaging system): Subject: Your <coffee> - two-week check-in Preview: A note from the roastery - and an honest ask. Body: ``` Hi - Thank you for ordering the <coffee> from us through Amazon. You've had it for two weeks now, so by now you've probably brewed the bag a few times. If you have a moment, an honest review on the Amazon listing helps the next person decide. A 1-sentence review is more than enough - what worked, what didn't. [Leave a review on Amazon] We don't offer discounts or compensation for reviews - Amazon prohibits it, and we'd rather hear what you actually think than buy a positive review. If something was off with the order or the coffee, please use the Contact seller link on your Amazon order page so we can resolve it directly. - The roastery team ``` ### Example D - Trustpilot service review (B2B SaaS onboarding, D+3) **Email:** Subject A: 3 days in - quick favor? Subject B: Your honest take on onboarding Subject C: 1-sentence review - Trustpilot Body: ``` Hi {{ first_name|default:'there' }} - You completed onboarding three days ago. While the process is fresh, would you leave an honest review on Trustpilot? [Leave a Trustpilot review] We don't offer compensation for reviews - Trustpilot's policy doesn't allow it, and we wouldn't want to anyway. Just an honest read of the experience helps prospective customers make a real decision. If something didn't work in onboarding, please reply directly and we'll fix it. - The team ``` ## Notes - **Platform anti-incentive policies are the single biggest compliance risk in UGC prompts.** Get this wrong on Amazon, Walmart, Etsy, or Trustpilot and you risk listing or seller-account suspension. - **Specific questions get specific answers.** "How is it?" gets generic 5-star reviews. "Is the leather softening?" gets useful, detailed reviews that convert future buyers. - **Photo / video reviews lift conversion 30-50% on PDPs** (Yotpo / Okendo published data). The investment in a generous photo-prompt pays back. - **The email must work for a 2★ review.** If the copy fishes for positive only, you're training a biased review pool that will eventually correct on you. - **TCPA quiet hours apply to SMS prompts.** 8am-9pm local time, US. - **Suggested follow-ups:** `/commerce postpurchase-thankyou` to integrate this prompt into the full post-purchase sequence; `/commerce review-response` to align reply scripts with reviews that come in.