As an online business owner, you understand that reviews and ratings are one of the most important features of any ecommerce solution. They help build trust and credibility among your customers and provide valuable feedback that can help drive sales. In this article, we will guide you through the process of implementing a reviews and ratings feature in Drupal Commerce.
Table of Contents
Why Reviews And Ratings Are Important?
Before diving into the implementation process, it’s crucial to understand why reviews and ratings are essential to your ecommerce business. Here are some reasons:
They build trust: Reviews and ratings provide transparency, social proof and build trust among potential customers as they see real people sharing their experience with a product.
They help drive sales: Customers are more likely to buy a product if it has positive reviews and ratings.
They garner feedback: Reviews and ratings can provide valuable feedback to business owners about what their customers like or dislike about their products.
With that said, let’s dive into how to implement a reviews and ratings feature in Drupal Commerce.
Step 1: Install The Reviews Module
The first step is to install the Reviews module in Drupal. You can do this by going to the Extend tab in the admin menu and searching for "Reviews" module. Once you find it, click on the Install button and wait for the installation to complete.
Step 2: Configure The Reviews Module
After installing the Reviews module, you need to configure it to meet your business needs. Firstly, go to the Configuration tab in the admin menu and click on the "Reviews" link under the Content Authoring section.
In the Reviews configuration menu, you can set up the following:
Review availability: Choose which types of content will support reviews and whether anonymous users can leave reviews.
Review display: Choose whether to show reviews in a separate tab or inline with the content.
Criteria: Set up the review criteria, for example, quality, price, etc.
Review form: Customize the review form fields and format.
Notification: Choose whether to notify content creators, administrators and reviewers of reviews left on content.
Step 3: Create The Reviews Block
Next, you need to create a block to display reviews on product pages, and in other areas where you want to showcase them. In the admin menu, click on the Structure tab and then Blocks. Click on the "Add block" button.
In the block creation form, enable the following:
Block title: Add a title for the block.
Block description: Add some description for the block.
Block body: Add the Reviews widget using the "Add Widget" button in the content editor.
Block placement: Choose where to place the block using the "Region" and "Visibility settings" options.
After setting up these options, click on the "Save" button to create the Reviews block.
Step 4: Customize The Reviews Display
Once you have created a Reviews block, you can customize its display to fit your website’s theme and branding. In the Configuration menu, click on the "Display settings" link and choose your preferred option for displaying the reviews.
Here, you can customize the display elements such as the review rating, the number of reviews displayed, and the review summary. You can also modify the review form’s look and feel under the "Form Display" tab.
Step 5: Encourage Customers To Leave Reviews
After implementing the reviews and ratings feature, you need to encourage customers to leave reviews. Here are some tips on how to do that:
Send a follow-up email after purchase requesting a review.
Provide incentives, such as a discount or reward, for leaving a review.
Respond to reviews, both positive and negative, to show customers that you care about their feedback.
Promote positive reviews on social media and your website to attract more customers.
Conclusion
Implementing a reviews and ratings feature in Drupal Commerce is not difficult, and it can bring significant benefits to your ecommerce business. By following the above steps, you will be able to set up a robust reviews and ratings system that provides valuable feedback, builds trust, and helps drive sales. Don’t forget to encourage customers to leave reviews, respond to feedback and promote positive reviews.