Ask customers what they loved - it makes them spend 131% more

Most post-purchase surveys exist to find problems. "What could we do better?" "How likely are you to recommend us?" They're designed to surface failures.

That's useful. But research suggests you're leaving something more valuable on the table.

A study found that post-purchase surveys that started with an open-ended question asking what customers enjoyed most increased future spending by 131% compared to customers who received no survey. The effect was triggered not just by responding - simply receiving the request had a positive impact.

Why positive framing is powerful

Memory is reconstructive. When you ask someone to recall and articulate what they loved about an experience, you're not just gathering information - you're actively shaping how they remember it.

When someone writes "I loved how quickly it arrived and how beautifully it was packaged," they're consolidating those positive memories. The act of expressing them makes them more vivid. The brand association becomes warmer.

Standard "rate your experience" surveys don't do this. Rating scales measure without reconstructing. An open question that asks for a positive memory triggers the memory itself.

How to implement it

Add a single question to your post-purchase email sequence (typically around 9-13 days after delivery):

"What did you enjoy most about your order?"

Make it genuinely open-ended - no dropdown, no star rating. Just a text box. Follow it with your standard satisfaction questions if you want that data. But lead with this.

The survey doesn't need a high response rate to have an effect. The email arriving and prompting the question is enough to shift perception.

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Research: Bone, S.A. et al. (2017). Journal of Marketing Research, 54(1). Utah State University, Boston College, Michigan State University, Brigham Young University & Northeastern University.