commerce-ugc-prompts

# Commerce UGC Prompts

Generate review + photo + video prompts that fire at the right post-delivery moment, with platform-TOS-compliant incentive structures. UGC (user-generated content) compounds: each review prompts the next conversion. Timing and incentive structure determine whether it works or backfires.

## When to Use

Trigger phrases: "review prompt", "UGC prompt", "ask for a photo review", "request a video testimonial", "post-delivery review email", "incentivize UGC", `/commerce ugc-prompts <product-type>`.

Do NOT use for: full post-purchase sequence (use `commerce-postpurchase-thankyou`), responding to a review (use `commerce-review-response`), TikTok creator-affiliate brief (use `commerce-tiktok-shop`).

## Inputs

**Required:**
- `product_type` - consumable / durable / cosmetic / apparel / service / digital
- `platform` - Shopify | Amazon | Etsy | Trustpilot | Google | TikTok Shop | Walmart | other. **Determines incentive constraints.**

**Optional:**
- `review_platform` - Yotpo | Okendo | Loox | Stamped | Judge.me | Trustpilot | Amazon native | Etsy native | Google Business | TikTok Shop native
- `incentive_capacity` - none / fixed dollar / percent off next order / loyalty points / charity donation
- `brand_voice`
- `existing_review_count` - informs whether to lead with social proof
- `out_path`

If `product_type` or `platform` is missing, ask before generating.

## Platform anti-incentive rules (read first)

Different platforms have different rules about what you can offer in exchange for a review. Get this wrong and you risk account suspension or review removal.

| Platform | Incentive policy |
|---|---|
| **Amazon** | **No incentives whatsoever** for reviews. Even free product → review is a "Vine Voices" exclusive program; outside Vine, any free / discounted product offered conditional on a review is a TOS violation. Asking for "honest reviews" without conditional offer is fine. |
| **Etsy** | No conditional incentives. May ask for review; may not offer compensation in exchange. |
| **Trustpilot** | **Strictest in this category.** Inviting all customers equally is fine. **Any compensation, discount, gift, or store credit "in exchange for an updated, removed, or revised review" is prohibited.** Even framing it as "thank you for the review" is risky if it follows the review and looks like a quid-pro-quo. |
| **Google Business reviews** | Google's policy prohibits offering incentives in exchange for reviews. Asking is fine. |
| **Walmart Marketplace** | Similar to Amazon - no incentives in exchange for reviews. |
| **Shopify storefront (Yotpo, Okendo, Loox, Judge.me)** | Generally permitted: discount on next order, loyalty points, photo-review bonus. **The discount must be offered to all buyers, not conditional on review content (positive or negative).** Yotpo, Okendo, Loox have built-in "discount-after-review" logic that is compliant when the discount fires regardless of star rating. |
| **TikTok Shop native reviews** | Conditional incentives for content (UGC video tagged on the listing) are permitted via the creator-affiliate program. Direct review incentives - same as Amazon (avoid). |

**Bottom line:**
- For Amazon, Walmart, Etsy, Trustpilot, Google: **never offer compensation conditional on a review**. Send the prompt; thank the customer regardless.
- For Shopify storefront review platforms: discount-after-review is fine when the discount is unconditional on rating.
- For TikTok Shop UGC: route through creator-affiliate program (`commerce-tiktok-shop`), not this skill.

## Workflow

### Phase 1: Timing per product type

Default delivery-to-prompt windows:

| Product type | Best window | Why |
|---|---|---|
| **Consumable** (food, supplements, beauty replenishables) | **D+14** | Used long enough to evaluate effect / taste |
| **Cosmetic / skincare** | **D+21** | Skin results visible after ~3 weeks |
| **Apparel** | **D+7** | Worn, washed once, fit confirmed |
| **Durable** (home goods, electronics, furniture) | **D+30** | Used long enough to evaluate quality and durability |
| **Service** | **D+3** | Recall is fresh |
| **Digital / SaaS** | **D+14 + D+30** | Two prompts - first impressions + sustained value |
| **Gift purchases (any category)** | Adjust to D+gift_date+N rather than D+order+N | Buyer may not have used the product yet |

For Amazon, the platform itself sends a review request at variable intervals; piling another email on top is permitted but should be timed to NOT overlap.

### Phase 2: Prompt copy template

Each prompt is a single email (or SMS) with:

1. **Subject:** specific to the product (not "leave a review")
2. **Body (≤ 150 words):**
   - Acknowledge they've had it for N days
   - One specific question that gets a real answer (not "how is it?" but "is the leather softening yet?")
   - Single review CTA - link directly to the review platform's submission form, pre-filled with the product if possible
   - **Photo / video prompt** if applicable: explicit ask, with constraints ("a photo of the product in your space", "a 15-30 second clip showing it in use")
   - **Incentive disclosure** (only if your platform permits) - clearly state the discount/credit is offered to all reviewers regardless of rating
3. **CTA:** primary = leave review; secondary (optional) = upload photo / video; tertiary (optional) = referral program
4. **Anti-pattern check:** the email must work as well for a 5-star review as for a 2-star review. If the copy reads as fishing for positive only, rewrite.

### Phase 3: Photo + video prompt copy

Photo and video reviews are **3-5x more useful** than text-only for converting future buyers. Specific asks beat generic.

**Photo prompt:**
- Short, generous: "A photo of the <product> in your kitchen / bedroom / bag" - name the context.
- Mention the technical floor: "Phone-camera quality is more than enough - no studio shot needed."
- If your review platform supports auto-import (Loox, Okendo from Instagram), say so: "Or tag us @<brand> o