[UPDATE: As of October, 2016, Amazon has banned so-called ‘incentivized reviews’ (i.e. you get the product for free or at a deep discount in exchange for reviewing it). If, knowing this, you still want to write Amazon reviews just out of the goodness of your heart, you may want to also read about The List of Words that Will Get Your Amazon Review Rejected ]
Do you want to get free stuff through Amazon in exchange for writing a review on Amazon of the free stuff that you get? You can! It’s relatively easy, so long as you’re willing to put in the time to write reviews! Here’s how.
A couple of years ago we told you about the Amazon Vine program, through which Amazon users are invited to receive free products, in exchange for their reviewing the item on Amazon. The Amazon Vine program may or may not still be around, but as it turns out, you don’t have to be invited by Amazon to be a Vine reviewer in order to get free Amazon stuff in exchange for a review! Here’s how.
How to Become an Amazon Reviewer and Get Free Stuff
The short answer to how to get free stuff from Amazon in exchange for being an Amazon reviewer and reviewing the stuff, is “fill out your Amazon profile, write lots of reviews for the things you have already purchased on Amazon, until you get into the top 10,000 reviewers, and then wait for merchants to contact you.”
It really is that simple. Read on for a more detailed explanation.
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Here’s how it breaks down.
First, here is what you need to understand, above all: If you have an Amazon account, you have an Amazon profile. And if you have ever written a review on Amazon, of a product you either purchased through Amazon, or even of one that you got elsewhere, then you already have a reviewer ranking.
You can find your reviewer ranking by going to your Amazon profile.
When you go to your Amazon profile, you will see something like this (if you don’t have a blurb about yourself there, now’s the time to put one up, because the merchants who will offer you free stuff will want to know a little bit about you):
Click on the ‘See more’ to reveal your reviewer ranking:
Now, Amazon publishes a list of the top 10,000 reviewers, so you want your reviewer ranking to be above (lower than) 10,000.
Here is the Amazon list of top 10,000 reviewers.
Note that you don’t necessarily have to have published a huge amount of reviews (relatively speaking). How they determine the top 10,000 depends on several factors, including not just the number of reviews, but things that suggest the quality of the reviews, such as the number of ‘helpful’ votes (as well as the number of ‘unhelpful’ votes) your reviews receive, and, presumably, the number of comments they generate. Nobody outside of Amazon really knows what algorithm they use.
But that’s ok, just keep writing reviews that are clearly thoughtful, and based on actual experience (Amazon is always going after fake reviewers, so you want to distinguish yourself), and your reviewer ranking will slowly creep skyward. (You also want to be careful to avoid words that will get your review rejected.)
Eventually, you will break the 10,000 barrier. Once you are on the top 10,000 reviewer list, merchants will see you there, and will start offering to send you things in exchange for a review.
A couple of critical points about your Amazon profile:
1. You need to have it completely filled out – put up a picture, tell a little bit about yourself, etc.. It’s good if you include a link to your website.
2. You must put an email address in your profile. That email address is how the merchants will contact you.
Once you’ve got your profile in order, and broken into the top 10,000 reviewers, you’ll start getting emails like this:
Hi, I was looking over your amazon profile and found your reviews to be very articulate and helpful. I was wondering if you’d be interested in reviewing a cosmetic bag I have up on amazon. I’m attaching photos. If you’re interested just email me back “yes” and I’ll send you a link with a coupon code to get it free.
And that’s all there is to it!
Here’s a handy link to start reviewing your Amazon purchases.
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Amazon Vine still exists. I get many items for review through it
I am a single mother of 4 & I would love to test products for you & learn more about each product
I would like to become a product tester and review. I work part time for UPS and planning on retiring at the end of November of the year so I would have time to do a good job at it. I do need to know how and what to do to get started. Thank you Sandra
Hi Sandra! Unfortunately Amazon discontinued this program some time ago, and it is now a violation of Amazon’s terms to provide a review in exchange for receiving an item for free or at a discount.
This was a helpful article. I have broken the top 10,000, yet my profile wasn’t as you suggested it should be. Thanks for the help.
Our pleasure! Note that you can no longer receive free products in exchange for a review, even if you are in the top tier of Amazon reviewers.
I would like to be a Amazon reviewer.
I am retired, so have the time.
I would provide honest accurate prompt reviews.
If you are interested, or have any questions, feel free to
Contact me thru my listed email address.
Thanks for your time and have a great day.
I would like to review products for you amazon. I have helped a friend before and done an unboxing.please consider.
I am a big internet shopper and use Amazon to purchase quite a lot. I am a retired Federal employee and always try to give a honest and fair review of all products. I have a dog and live alone and would be very happy to give honest and fair reviews. Thank you
I am an internet shopper addict I shop everyday I would love to test Amazon products. Please contact me
I have a new product on Amazon that I would like to establish with reviews. What do you recommend that I do to facilitate reviews? How should I contact potential reviewers?
Shannon Harper 1/9/2017
Hello! I would love to review products and/or become an Amazom product tester. Please let me know how I can do so. I’m currently a stay at home, so I have the free time which would allow me the time to do so. Not only do I have the time, but I love Amazon products, and if it’s not groceries, then we’re shopping at Amazon for the rest of our purchases – so that’s a lot!
I should’ve said “We” Love Amazon!
Shannon Harper
“The Harper Family”
Hi I would like to know how to become a product tester for amazon tester I’m a single mom and would love to hope and get paid doing it I have a lot of free time thanks And I love amazon stuff
So, I have heard that reviewing products through Snagshout, AMZ and Elite Deal Club will ruin your chances of being vine reviewer. Do you think that is true? If so, I’m stopping immediately!!!
I would like to become part of Vine as well!
I am retired and would be available for reviews. Thank you for your time!
Sincerely,
Denise
Hi would like to now how to become on on line tester. I’m retired so have plenty of time to review items. Yours thankfully mick McGee by
Correction: Amazon Review Trader is SELLER-centric. Vine is BUYER-centric.
This is how I started reviewing as well, first with books, then DVDs, then dog and cat food and treats, photography items, garden tools. I was writing reviews for things that I had purchased since 2003 and by 2007 was invited to the Amazon Vine program and became a “Vine Voice.” I’ve gotten some nice items over the years. I’m now in the Top 1000 Reviewers and get offers from sellers to try their products.
What has changed recently with Amazon are review clubs like “Amazon Review Trader who try to compete with the Vine Program. Most of these review clubs, however, are buyer-centric, meaning the reviews are aimed for the seller to get more purchases, whereas Vine is buyer-centric. Amazon Vine does not in any way discourage critical reviews. The review clubs, do, and reviewers there are pressured to leave only four or five-star reviews or else they are removed from the program. As a Vine Voice, I will only get removed if I violate the Terms of Service, such as sell my items before six months are up, blog about my items for monetary gain, get involved with up or downvoting campaigns, place those items on my Amazon wishlist, get paid to write reviews, don’t disclose that I get items for free, etc. Amazon is currently purging a lot of Amazon reviewers’ accounts that have been posting reviews through Amazon Review Trader. These review clubs have ruined the reviewing experience on Amazon.