Testimonial examples · by industry
Testimonial examples for online stores
Shoppers cannot touch the product, so they read what other buyers say to fill the gap: does it look like the photos, does it last, does it fit, did it arrive on time. Store testimonials work when they answer one of those questions from a real purchase, close to the button where the shopper decides.
Online stores also receive far more feedback than most businesses, through reviews, emails and social posts. The structures below help you turn that feedback into testimonials for product pages and checkout, and the sections further down cover what you may and may not do with reviews you asked for.
These are templates, not testimonials. Every example on this page is a structure with placeholders such as [Name] and [Company]. None of it is a quote from a real or invented person: fill it only with what your customer actually told you, and publish it only with their permission.
Fill in the blanks
Replace the words in square brackets with your own details. With JavaScript on, the fields here fill every template on the page for you.
Structures to copy
The product in daily use
For product pages. It answers what the photos cannot: how the product holds up once it has been used for a while.
- What they bought and why
- How they use it
- What they noticed after a while
Fill-in template, not a real testimonial
I bought [Product] for [why they bought it]. I use it [how and how often they use it],
and after [how long they have had it] it [what they noticed].
— [Name], [Detail they agreed to share]The doubt about fit or quality
Place it next to the size guide or the materials section. A buyer who shares the worry sees that someone else had it, and how it turned out.
- The worry before ordering
- What arrived
- Advice for the next buyer
Fill-in template, not a real testimonial
I was not sure about [their worry: size, colour, quality].
When it arrived, [what they found]. My advice: [their tip for the next buyer].
— [Name], [Detail they agreed to share]The buying experience
Use it at checkout or on your shipping and returns page. It reassures first-time customers about the parts of buying that are not the product: delivery, packaging and help when something goes wrong.
- What happened with the order
- How your team handled it
- Whether they would order again
Fill-in template, not a real testimonial
My order of [Product] [what happened: arrived early, needed an exchange, was a gift].
[How your team handled it]. [Would they order again, in their words].
— [Name], [Detail they agreed to share]Questions that get a useful answer
What made you choose this product over the others you looked at?
Brings out the deciding factor, which is often exactly the doubt the next shopper has. It also tells you what to put first in the product description.
How has it held up since you started using it?
Asks about durability and real use rather than first impressions. Send it a few weeks after delivery, once the product has actually been used.
Was anything different from what you expected?
Invites honest detail about size, colour or quality. Balanced answers are more credible than pure praise, and publishing them helps the next buyer choose well.
Was there anything about delivery or our service worth mentioning?
Collects the buying-experience testimonial separately from the product one, so each can go on the page where it helps.
Reviews you asked for are still reviews
Ask every buyer, not only the ones you expect to be happy, and treat critical reviews by the same rules as positive ones. Publishing only the glowing ones gives shoppers a distorted picture of what customers think.
If you give anything in return for a review, such as a discount, a gift or an entry into a prize draw, say so next to the review, and never make the reward depend on the review being positive.
Where store testimonials belong
On each product page, show testimonials about that product. At checkout and on the shipping page, show the ones about delivery and service. On the home page, a few short lines about the brand as a whole work better than detailed product reviews.
Keep it honest
In the United States, the FTC’s Endorsement Guides say a testimonial must reflect the honest opinion or experience of the person giving it, and that you may tidy the wording but not reword it so that it distorts what they meant.Source [1] If the customer got something in return that your readers would not expect, such as a discount or a free product, that connection must be disclosed clearly.Source [2] This is a summary, not legal advice.
Keep going
- A follow-up email that asks a buyer how the product is working out
- Testimonial examples for every kind of business
- SaaS testimonial examples you can fill in
- Testimonial examples for online courses
- How to write a testimonial, step by step
- Plan a wall of love
Collecting testimonials goes faster with a form your customers can fill in on their own. Read how UpVoiced’s testimonial forms are meant to work.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a review and a testimonial?
A review is usually posted by the buyer on your store or a review site, good or bad. A testimonial is a statement you choose to feature in your marketing, with the customer's permission. Both must reflect a real buyer's honest experience.
When should an online store ask for a testimonial?
After the customer has used the product, not on the day it arrives. For most products that means a short follow-up some time after delivery, with one or two questions.
Can I offer a discount for a testimonial?
You can reward honest feedback, but disclose the reward wherever you show the testimonial, and never make it depend on the answer being positive. Many review platforms forbid incentives entirely, so check their rules first.
Sources
- Federal Trade Commission, published in the eCFR, “16 CFR 255.1, General considerations (FTC Endorsement Guides)”: www.ecfr.gov/current/title-16/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-255/section-255.1, retrieved .
- Federal Trade Commission, published in the eCFR, “16 CFR 255.5, Disclosure of material connections (FTC Endorsement Guides)”: www.ecfr.gov/current/title-16/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-255/section-255.5, retrieved .
Collect testimonials with UpVoiced
UpVoiced is adding testimonial collection forms and a wall of love; they are coming soon and not available yet. Its feedback board, roadmap and changelog are in development, and you can try them on a fictional demo.