ToolsCompliance
FTC-Safe Response Templates
Get a ready-to-use merchant response for any review type. Templates follow FTC guidelines, platform policies, and the BeyondReviews house voice: honest, no exclamation marks.
Pick the situation
The reply
What this one avoids
Placeholders in braces are yours to replace, and every one of them is there because a reply without that specific detail reads as a form response. General guidance, not legal advice: FTC guidance and each platform's own policy are the authorities, and both change.
Common questions
What makes a review response FTC-compliant?
The FTC endorsement guidelines require that any incentive offered for a review is clearly disclosed and that merchants do not require positive sentiment. When responding to reviews, compliance means not asking reviewers to change or remove their review, not implying their feedback was compensation-driven, and not making claims about the reviewer's experience that they did not make themselves.
Should I respond to negative reviews publicly?
Yes, with limits. A brief, non-defensive acknowledgement that shows you read the review signals to prospective buyers that you take feedback seriously. Keep the public response short and move resolution to direct contact. Never argue the facts in public. Even if the reviewer is wrong, the dispute reads worse than the original complaint to a third-party reader.
How do these templates handle incentivised reviews?
The templates do not include language that requests or implies reward in exchange for a review. Platform terms (Google, Shopify App Store, Trustpilot) prohibit incentivised responses that suggest the reviewer should update their rating. If you ran an incentivised campaign, consult the specific platform's policy before responding in a way that references the incentive.