Post-purchase survey questions: good and bad examples
By Peter Coolen · · 6 min read
The wording of a question decides the answer you get. Small things, like an unbalanced scale or two questions squeezed into one, can turn honest feedback into numbers that only tell you what you hoped to hear.
Here are the mistakes we see most often in post-purchase surveys, each with a bad example and a better one you can copy.
Asking about a product they haven’t received
The Thank You page shows right after checkout. The customer hasn’t unpacked anything yet, so questions about quality or fit can only get guesses. Ask about what they just experienced: finding you, deciding and checking out.
Product feedback belongs in a review request or follow-up email, a week or two after delivery.
Leading questions
A leading question tells the customer which answer you want. Most people are polite, especially right after buying, so they give it to you.
Two questions in one
When a question asks about two things, you can’t tell which one the answer is about. A customer who loved the price but found the site confusing has no right answer.
- Yes
- No
- Price
- Hard to find products
- Shipping cost
- Nothing
- Other
One question, with each concern as its own option.
Unbalanced scales
If three of your four options are positive, your results will be positive too. That feels good, but it hides the problems you need to fix.
- Excellent
- Very good
- Good
- Fair
- Very poor
- Poor
- Okay
- Good
- Very good
Or use a star rating from 1 to 5, which everyone already knows how to read.
Jargon
Words you use every day at work can mean nothing to your customers. If they have to think about what you mean, they guess or give up.
Hypothetical questions
People are bad at predicting what they will do. “Would you buy this in blue?” gets plenty of yes answers from people who would never pay for it. Questions about what already happened are far more reliable.
- Yes
- No
- Maybe
- Price
- Product range
- Reviews
- Fast delivery
- Recommended to me
- Other
No way out
A list without “Other” forces people into the closest wrong answer. A required question without a neutral option does the same.
- Sale
- Gift
- Replacing an old one
- Sale
- Gift
- Replacing an old one
- Just wanted it
- Other
Questions worth asking
Every question should help you make a decision. These work well on the Thank You page:
- Where did you first hear about us? Tells you which marketing works. See how to write this question.
- What almost stopped you from buying? Shows the doubts that cost you other sales.
- What made you choose us over other shops? Tells you what to put in your ads.
- How likely are you to recommend us to a friend? A 0–10 NPS score you can track over time.How likely are you to recommend us to a friend?012345678910Not likelyVery likely
- What else would you like us to sell? Lets customers help you plan your range.
Pick one or two, not all five. Read how to avoid survey fatigue to keep your response rate high.
Written with AI, idea and final edit by Peter Coolen.