The Vine Program: The Ultimate Guide to Supercharging Your Success!
The Amazon Vine program grants exclusive access to the platform’s most elite reviewers, known as Vine Voices. As a seller, you can provide free or discounted products to these influential reviewers. In return, they will publish comprehensive evaluations on your product pages. But how can you access these coveted reviewers? What products qualify and what fees apply? Our comprehensive Vine guide has all the answers, including the latest fee updates. Let’s break it down in detail and get you started.
Amazon Vine Enrollment: What are the Requirements?
Before registering for the Amazon Vine reviewer program, brands must first meet a set of prerequisites. Eligibility hinges on conforming to key standards around seller status, brand registry, and product conditions.
- You must be a Professional Selling Partner.
- You must have registered a brand in Amazon Brand Registry
- You must be identified as the brand owner.
- You must have eligible FBA offers.
What Products Are Eligible?
To enroll a product in Vine, it must:
- Be brand registered in Amazon Brand Registry
- Have fewer than 30 reviews on the product detail page
- Have a buyable FBA offer in “New” condition
- Not be an adult product, digital, or heavy and bulky item
- Have already launched at the time of enrollment
- Have available inventory
- Have an image and a description
What Are the Vine Reviewer Standards?
Amazon carefully vets Vine reviewers based on the quality of their existing reviews. Only reviewers who create trustworthy, insightful opinions remain in the privileged Vine program.
What Does Participation Cost?
Amazon recently updated the Vine program’s pricing model. Previously, brands paid a one-time $200 fee per parent ASIN if their enrolled product received a Vine review. However, the new Vine enrollment fee structure that started in October 2023 charges variable rates based on total units provided:
- $0 (new tier): Enroll up to 2 units per parent ASIN and get up to 2 quality Vine reviews for free.
- $75 (new tier): Enroll up to 10 units per parent ASIN and get up to 10 Vine reviews.
- $200 (existing tier): Enroll up to 30 units per parent ASIN and get up to 30 Vine reviews.
Fee Details
Units Enrolled |
Maximumumber of units available to be ordered by Vine reviewers (minimum1 and maximum 30) |
Time of Charge |
Seven days after the publication date of the first Vine review for the ASIN enrollment |
Fee structure |
Rate is based on the number of units enrolled per ASIN enrollment |
No Review, No Fee
If you enroll an item in Vine but do not receive any Vine reviews, you will not be charged the standard $200 ASIN fee. Amazon only charges the Vine participation fee after the first Vine review for that product is published. So, you can participate risk-free, knowing the program only costs money if it drives verified Vine reviews.
Vine Reviewers Don’t Get Paid, Only Free Products
Amazon Vine reviewers do not get paid for their reviews. Instead, the incentive for Vine Voices is receiving selected products for free or at a discount. This allows Vine members to try out new product releases and provide their authentic, unpaid perspectives to other customers. The Vine program is designed to elicit honest reviews based on actual user experiences with brands’ items.
No Review Deadlines for Vine Members
Amazon does not enforce strict deadlines for publishing Vine reviews. Once Vine Voice reviewers receive free products through the program, they are welcome to evaluate items and post opinions on their own schedule. However, Amazon does monitor Vine Voice activity. Reviewers can lose their privileged status if they stop meeting Vine participation criteria over time.
FBA and Referral Fees Still Apply to Vine Orders
Amazon does charge its standard selling fees on Vine program orders. When a Vine Voice claims a free or discounted product enrollment from a brand, regular Fulfillment by Amazon and referral fees apply. Go to visit FBA fee and Referral fee for more information.
Though the Amazon Vine program offers valuable exposure, it will not meet every seller’s needs. Participation is limited, with brands only able to submit 1-30 units per ASIN for reviewer evaluation. Given this constraint alongside requiring eligible products, meeting Brand Registry standards, and investing fees if reviewed, Vine serves a niche role, not a blanket reviewing solution. Determine if your newest or struggling launches justify tapping this exclusive preview channel based on the full picture. Vine delivers results for those equipped to harness it but should not be viewed as the sole reviewing option for entire sellers.
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