The Shop App Review Dilemma
If you're a Shopify merchant, you've likely noticed that the Shop app automatically collects product reviews from your customers. This is genuinely valuable—Shop has millions of active users, and reviews collected through the app display with a "Verified by Shop" badge that builds trust.
But here's the strategic question many merchants face: How do you also get reviews that qualify for Google Shopping's Product Ratings program?
The common assumption is that you must choose: either use Shop's built-in review collection OR use a separate review app. Some merchants try to solve this by using review apps that import Shop reviews, hoping to use them everywhere.
There's a better approach: parallel collection. This strategy lets you benefit from Shop's review system while simultaneously building a first-party review collection that qualifies for Google Merchant Center—all without annoying customers with duplicate requests.
Understanding the Two Approaches
The Import/Sync Approach
Many review apps connect to Shopify's Product Review API and import reviews that Shop has already collected. These imported reviews can then be displayed on your website alongside reviews collected by the app itself.
The benefit: All your reviews in one centralized dashboard, regardless of where they were originally collected.
The consideration: Imported Shop reviews remain Shop's reviews from a technical standpoint. Even though they're about your products, they were collected by Shopify through the Shop app, not directly by you. This affects which platforms they can be submitted to.
The Parallel Collection Approach
Review Multiplier uses a different strategy: instead of importing Shop reviews after the fact, it coordinates with Shop's collection process using intelligent channel-based routing.
How it works: The system identifies which orders came through the Shop app and which came through other channels (your online store, POS, draft orders). Then it applies different collection strategies for each channel to avoid duplicate requests while maximizing coverage.
The advantage: You end up with Shop reviews in the Shop app AND first-party reviews that you collected directly—both datasets working together, each optimized for different platforms.
Why This Matters: The Google Shopping Connection
To understand why parallel collection is valuable, you need to understand Google's requirements for Product Ratings.
Google's First-Party Review Requirement
Google Merchant Center requires "first-party reviews" for their Product Ratings program. This means reviews that you collected directly from your customers, not reviews collected by a third-party platform.
When a customer leaves a review through the Shop app, Shopify is the entity collecting that review. From Google's perspective, it's Shop's review, not yours—even though it's about your product.
This creates an important distinction:
- Shop reviews: Great for the Shop app and your website, but don't qualify for Google Merchant Center
- First-party reviews: Qualify for Google Shopping Product Ratings stars
Understanding the Google Merchant Center Consideration
The import/sync approach works well for website display, but there's an important consideration for Google Shopping:
The Platform Origin Question
When it comes to Google Merchant Center, the origin of a review matters:
- Format compatibility: Different platforms have different character limits, data structures, and verification methods
- Platform standards: Each platform has its own guidelines for what constitutes a valid review
- Cross-platform usage: Reviews collected by one platform may not transfer to all other platforms with full functionality
The Google Merchant Center Requirement
Google Merchant Center specifically requires first-party reviews—reviews you collected directly from your customers, not reviews collected by another platform on your behalf.
This means:
- Reviews collected through Shop app → Excellent for Shop and your website, but categorized as collected by Shopify
- Reviews you collect directly → Eligible for Google Merchant Center Product Ratings in addition to website display
This isn't a limitation of any particular approach—it's simply how Google defines first-party reviews. If your goal is to get Product Ratings stars in Google Shopping, you need reviews collected directly under your brand, not imported from another platform.
With parallel collection, both approaches work together: Shop reviews serve the Shop ecosystem and your website, while direct collection creates the first-party reviews needed for Google Merchant Center.
The Three Collection Modes
Review Multiplier offers three approaches to coordinating with Shop's review collection, each optimized for different business priorities.
Mode 1: Shop-First with Backup (Recommended)
This is the most customer-friendly approach and works for most merchants.
How it works:
- A customer completes an order through the Shop app
- Shop sends its review request (typically 7-14 days after delivery)
- Review Multiplier sends a store review request only (asking about overall experience, not the product)
- If Shop doesn't collect a product review within 14 days, Review Multiplier sends a backup product review request
Why this prevents duplicates: Shop collects product reviews, Review Multiplier collects store reviews. These are different types of reviews asking about different aspects of the experience.
What you get:
- Product reviews from Shop (display with "Verified by Shop" badge)
- Store reviews from Review Multiplier (for testimonials, trust badges, homepage)
- Backup product review collection if Shop misses the customer
- No duplicate product review requests to customers
Best for:
- Merchants who value customer experience above all
- Stores with high Shop app order volume
- Those who want the safest, most proven approach
Trade-off: For Shop orders, product reviews are collected by Shop (not first-party), so they don't go to Google Merchant Center. However, orders from all other channels create first-party reviews that do qualify.
Mode 2: GMC-First (Google Shopping Priority)
This approach prioritizes building your Google Shopping Product Ratings as quickly as possible.
How it works:
- You configure Shop to delay its review requests to 180 days (the maximum Shop allows)
- Review Multiplier collects both product and store reviews immediately (2-7 days after delivery)
- Months later, Shop eventually sends its review request too
- Some customers may receive both requests, but they're separated by months
What you get:
- First-party product reviews that qualify for Google Merchant Center immediately
- Store reviews from the same customers
- Shop reviews eventually (adding another layer of social proof)
- All reviews collected are first-party and GMC-eligible
Best for:
- Active Google Shopping advertisers
- Merchants pursuing Product Ratings stars in Google ads
- Stores where Google Shopping is a primary traffic source
- Those willing to accept two review requests per customer over time
Trade-off: Customers who stay engaged long-term may receive both your review request and Shop's request, though separated by 5-6 months. Response rate to the second request is typically low, but it does happen.
Mode 3: Hybrid (Smart Channel Separation)
This is the most sophisticated approach, combining the best aspects of both strategies.
How it works:
- In Shop's settings, you turn OFF "Reviews on purchases outside of Shop"
- Shop collects product reviews ONLY for orders placed in the Shop app
- Review Multiplier collects both product and store reviews for ALL other orders (online store checkout, POS, draft orders)
- Perfect separation: Shop handles its orders, Review Multiplier handles everything else
What you get:
- Shop reviews with "Verified by Shop" badge for Shop orders
- First-party product and store reviews for all non-Shop orders (GMC-eligible)
- Maximum review coverage across all sales channels
- Zero duplicate requests (perfect coordination)
Best for:
- Merchants with mixed sales channels (Shop, online store, POS)
- Those who want maximum review coverage
- Stores comfortable managing Shop's settings
- Merchants who want both Shop's credibility AND Google Shopping stars
Important requirement: You must verify that Shop's "Reviews on purchases outside of Shop" setting is turned OFF. This ensures Shop isn't also trying to collect reviews from your online store orders. Review Multiplier provides step-by-step instructions and verification helpers in the settings interface.
Trade-off: Requires one-time configuration in Shop's settings and merchant confirmation that settings are correct. Slightly more complex to set up than Mode 1.
The Product vs. Store Review Strategy
One key advantage of parallel collection is understanding that there are two types of reviews, and Shop only collects one of them.
Product Reviews
What they ask: "How do you like this product? Does it meet your expectations?"
Minimum length: 10 characters (can be brief)
Where they're used:
- Product pages
- Google Shopping Product Ratings
- Product comparison displays
Photo inclusion: 10-20% include photos of the product
Store Reviews
What they ask: "How was your overall experience with our store? Tell us about shipping, service, and website usability."
Minimum length: 50 characters (encourages detail)
Where they're used:
- Homepage testimonials
- Trust badges
- About/company pages
- Overall store reputation
Photo inclusion: 1-5% include photos (usually of packaging or unboxing)
Why This Matters
Shop collects product reviews only. It doesn't ask customers about their overall store experience.
This means that even when Shop is handling product review collection, there's an opportunity to collect store reviews without creating duplication. You're asking about different aspects of the customer's experience.
This is why Mode 1 (Shop-First with Backup) works so elegantly: Shop asks about products, Review Multiplier asks about the overall experience, and customers see these as complementary rather than repetitive.
Practical Implications for Your Business
For Your Website
With parallel collection, your website can display:
- Shop reviews with the "Verified by Shop" badge (these carry weight because millions of customers trust Shop's verification)
- First-party reviews collected through Review Multiplier (showing breadth of feedback)
- Store reviews as testimonials and trust indicators
This creates richer social proof than using a single source. Customers see that your reputation extends across multiple platforms.
For Google Shopping
First-party reviews collected by Review Multiplier automatically qualify for Google Merchant Center's Product Ratings program (once you reach the minimum 50 reviews threshold).
When you achieve Product Ratings, your Google Shopping ads and free listings display star ratings. Research shows that ads with product ratings see a 17% increase in click-through rates, particularly valuable for merchants with strong ratings.
The system handles the technical requirements automatically:
- Proper XML feed formatting
- Product identifier matching (GTIN, MPN, or SKU)
- Monthly feed updates
- Review age filtering (typically last 12 months)
For Customer Experience
The coordination happens behind the scenes. Customers simply receive review requests as normal, without knowing that intelligent routing prevented them from getting duplicate product review requests.
The result:
- Better customer experience (not annoyed by duplicates)
- Higher completion rates (customers not fatigued)
- More authentic feedback (customers not frustrated)
Common Questions Addressed
"Won't customers be confused by two systems collecting reviews?"
Not if implemented correctly. The coordination ensures customers don't receive duplicate product review requests. When Shop collects a product review, Review Multiplier sends only a store review request (asking about different aspects of their experience). The two requests feel complementary, not redundant.
"What if I already have Shop reviews? Can I still start parallel collection?"
Absolutely. Existing Shop reviews continue to display on your website with the "Verified by Shop" badge. Moving forward, the parallel collection strategy coordinates new review collection based on the mode you choose. You're not losing anything—you're adding first-party review collection on top of what Shop already provides.
"Can I switch modes later?"
Yes. The collection mode can be changed at any time in Review Multiplier's settings. For example, you might start with Mode 1 (Shop-First) to test the system, then switch to Mode 3 (Hybrid) once you've verified your Shop settings. The change applies to future review requests without affecting reviews already collected.
"How do I know which mode is right for me?"
Consider these questions:
Are you actively advertising on Google Shopping?
- Yes, and it's important → Consider Mode 2 (GMC-First) or Mode 3 (Hybrid)
- No, or it's not a priority → Mode 1 (Shop-First) is likely best
What percentage of your orders come through the Shop app?
- High (60%+) → Mode 1 or Mode 2
- Mixed (30-60%) → Mode 3 (Hybrid) gives best coverage
- Low (<30%) → Any mode works; Mode 1 is simplest
How important are Google Product Ratings stars to your business?
- Critical (active Shopping advertiser) → Mode 2 or Mode 3
- Important (want to build over time) → Mode 3
- Nice to have → Mode 1 works fine
Are you comfortable managing Shop's settings?
- Yes → Mode 3 gives maximum control
- No / prefer simplicity → Mode 1 is most straightforward
Choosing Your Strategy
Here's a quick decision framework:
Choose Shop-First (Mode 1) if:
- Customer experience is your top priority
- You want the simplest, safest approach
- Shop app orders are a significant portion of your sales
- You're fine building Google Shopping reviews gradually from non-Shop orders
Choose GMC-First (Mode 2) if:
- Google Shopping is a primary marketing channel
- You need Product Ratings stars as quickly as possible
- You're willing to accept two review requests per customer (months apart)
- First-party review collection is your strategic priority
Choose Hybrid (Mode 3) if:
- You have mixed sales channels (Shop, online store, POS)
- You want maximum review coverage across all channels
- You're comfortable configuring Shop's settings once
- You want both Shop's credibility AND Google Shopping stars
Most merchants find success with Mode 1 or Mode 3. Mode 2 is specifically for merchants where Google Shopping is critical to their business.
The Path Forward
The Shop app's review collection is genuinely valuable—millions of customers trust Shop's "Verified by Shop" badges, and the in-app experience creates high engagement. But it's designed to serve the Shop app ecosystem, not necessarily your Google Shopping strategy or your broader review needs.
Parallel collection doesn't replace Shop's review system; it coordinates with it. You get Shop reviews where they work best (the Shop app and your website with verified badges), first-party reviews where they're required (Google Merchant Center), and store reviews that Shop doesn't collect at all (for testimonials and trust building).
The key insight: It's not about choosing between Shop and review collection. It's about coordinating both for maximum benefit.
Rather than trying to work around platform limitations through imports and syncing—with the rejection issues and platform lock-in that creates—parallel collection treats each platform according to its strengths.
Ready to implement parallel collection for your Shopify store? Review Multiplier handles the coordination automatically, with smart routing that prevents duplicate requests while maximizing your review coverage across Shop, Google Shopping, and your website. Get started free—no credit card required.