Post-purchase review collection via email

Collecting Product Reviews via Email

Automatic review requests after purchase are standard practice for e-commerce and SaaS. The email arrives N days after payment, contains a direct rating link, a text review form, and redirects to review platforms (Google, Trustpilot, Yandex).

Architecture

Payment → Job: ScheduleReviewRequest (delay: +14 days)
       → Email with rating buttons
       → Click → save rating → redirect to platform

Backend: Scheduling and Processing

// On successful payment
class HandlePaymentSucceeded
{
    public function handle(PaymentSucceeded $event): void
    {
        // Delay email for 14 days — give time to use product
        SendReviewRequestEmail::dispatch($event->order)->delay(now()->addDays(14));
    }
}

// Job to send email
class SendReviewRequestEmail implements ShouldQueue
{
    public function handle(): void
    {
        // Don't send if already reviewed
        if ($this->order->review()->exists()) return;

        // Don't send if issued refund
        if ($this->order->refund()->exists()) return;

        $token = ReviewToken::create([
            'order_id'   => $this->order->id,
            'user_id'    => $this->order->user_id,
            'expires_at' => now()->addDays(30),
        ]);

        Mail::to($this->order->user->email)->send(new ReviewRequestMail($this->order, $token));
    }
}

Email Template with Direct Rating in Email

<!-- In email — rating buttons directly in body -->
<p>How was your purchase of "{{ $order->product->name }}"?</p>

<table>
  <tr>
    @foreach([1,2,3,4,5] as $star)
    <td>
      <a href="{{ route('reviews.rate', ['token' => $token->id, 'score' => $star]) }}"
         style="display:inline-block; padding:8px 12px; background:#f3f4f6; border-radius:4px; text-decoration:none;">
        {{ str_repeat('★', $star) }}{{ str_repeat('☆', 5 - $star) }}
      </a>
    </td>
    @endforeach
  </tr>
</table>

Processing Rating Click

// ReviewController
public function rate(ReviewToken $token, int $score): View|RedirectResponse
{
    if ($token->isExpired() || $token->isUsed()) {
        return redirect()->route('home')->with('error', 'Link expired');
    }

    // Save preliminary rating
    session(['review_score' => $score, 'review_token' => $token->id]);

    if ($score >= 4) {
        // High rating → redirect to Google/Trustpilot for public review
        $token->markPartiallyUsed($score);
        return redirect(config('reviews.google_url') . '?hl=en');
    }

    // Low rating → show form for private review
    return view('reviews.form', compact('token', 'score'));
}

public function submit(Request $request, ReviewToken $token): JsonResponse
{
    $request->validate(['score' => 'required|integer|min:1|max:5', 'comment' => 'nullable|string|max:2000']);

    Review::create([
        'order_id'  => $token->order_id,
        'user_id'   => $token->user_id,
        'score'     => $request->score,
        'comment'   => $request->comment,
        'is_public' => $request->score >= 4,
    ]);

    $token->markUsed();

    // If low rating — notify support
    if ($request->score <= 2) {
        Notification::route('slack', '#reviews')->notify(new LowReviewNotification($token->order, $request->score));
    }

    return response()->json(['success' => true]);
}

External Review Platforms

Timeline

A review collection system with delayed sending, direct rating in email, and platform routing: 3–4 business days.