Can I offer discounts or free products for reviews?
Yes, you can offer discounts or free imported products for genuine reviews, provided the incentive is clearly disclosed and the publishing platform permits it. Do not make the reward conditional on positive feedback. Factory insert wording can be coordinated through the China-based staff of Cambridge China Bridge.
Reward participation without buying praise
The CMA allows incentives for reviews that disclose the reward and reflect genuine experience. Its business guidance says not to offer rewards for positive reviews. Check the intended platform’s current policy before promising a discount or dispatching a free product.
Write the offer so favourable and critical feedback qualify equally. Suggested invitation: “Please review your actual experience and disclose the discount you received. The discount does not depend on your rating or comments.” Avoid requiring approval of the review before releasing the reward.
Make the incentive visible with the review
Where incentivised reviews are permitted, the CMA says they must be clearly identifiable as incentivised, usually through a prominent advertising label. Do not treat a disclosure buried behind a link as sufficient.
Prepare disclosure wording before launch. For example: “Advertisement: I received this product free from the seller to review. These comments reflect my experience.” Adapt the wording for a discount rather than a gift, and check how it appears on the actual publishing channel.
Approve the factory insert and campaign brief
Ask your China-based sourcing contact to obtain the proposed carton insert, translated text and artwork before printing. Check every route to the review invitation, including printed codes, landing pages and follow-up messages. Keep a dated approved copy and ask for photographs of the insert packed with the product.
Give marketing agencies and content creators the same brief. For social media promotion, the CMA requires clear advertising labelling even where a free gift was sent without asking for a post. Put disclosure instructions in the gift message. Our online selling guide covers the broader product and packaging decisions.
Check publication and feed problems back
Keep a campaign record connecting the invitation, benefit supplied, product version and published review. Inspect the visible disclosure after publication. If a creator’s promotional post lacks the correct advertising label, the CMA says to work promptly with them and any intermediary to correct it.
Handle complaints separately from the review reward. Ask about defects without bargaining over the reviewer’s opinion, and feed recurring faults into the next factory specification. Reviews complement quality inspection. If feedback identifies a possible safety problem, use our imported product recall guide.
Frequently asked questions
Can I give a discount for an honest review?
Yes, if the review reflects genuine experience, clearly discloses the incentive and the platform permits it. Make the discount independent of the rating or opinion.
Can I offer a free product for a positive review?
Do not make the free product conditional on praise. Disclosure does not make a reward for positive feedback acceptable under the CMA’s business guidance.
How should reviewers disclose a free product?
Use a prominent advertising label and clear wording explaining that the seller supplied the product free for review. Check the disclosure is visible with the review.
Does an unsolicited gift to an influencer need disclosure?
The CMA says promotional content resulting from a free gift must be labelled as advertising, even when the business did not ask for anything in return. Include clear instructions with the gift.