How to Turn Off Product Reviews in WooCommerce: A Comprehensive Guide
Product reviews are a double-edged sword. On one hand, they can significantly boost your social proof and increase conversions. Positive reviews build trust and help potential customers make informed decisions. However, negative or spam reviews can damage your brand reputation and deter sales. Sometimes, it’s necessary to disable reviews, at least temporarily, especially during product launches, updates, or when dealing with a specific issue. This article provides a step-by-step guide on how to turn off product reviews in WooCommerce and explores the reasons why you might want to consider this option.
Why Disable Product Reviews?
Before diving into the “how-to,” let’s quickly understand why you might want to disable product reviews:
- New Product Launch: You might prefer to build your own initial narrative before opening up the floor to potentially premature reviews.
- Dealing with Spam: A sudden influx of spam reviews can be overwhelming to manage and can negatively impact user experience.
- Addressing Product Issues: If you’re aware of a bug or flaw in a product, you might disable reviews until the issue is resolved to avoid negative feedback.
- Maintaining Brand Control: While generally beneficial, completely uncontrolled reviews can sometimes be misused. Some merchants prefer a curated approach, gathering feedback through other channels.
- Temporary Strategy: You might want to temporarily disable reviews while restructuring your site, running promotions, or experimenting with different marketing strategies.
Turning Off Product Reviews: Multiple Methods
WooCommerce offers several ways to disable product reviews, each providing different levels of control. Let’s explore the most common methods:
#### 1. Disabling Reviews Globally
This is the quickest way to turn off reviews for all products on your WooCommerce store.
1. Navigate to WooCommerce Settings: In your WordPress dashboard, go to WooCommerce > Settings.
2. Click on the “Products” Tab: This tab contains settings related to your products and their display.
3. Select the “General” Tab: Ensure you are on the General section of the product settings.
4. Uncheck “Enable product reviews”: Look for the checkbox labeled “Enable product reviews” within the “Product Ratings” section. Uncheck this box.
5. Save Changes: Click the “Save changes” button at the bottom of the page.
This action will immediately disable reviews on all your products. Previously submitted reviews will typically remain visible, but users will no longer be able to submit new ones.
#### 2. Disabling Reviews on Individual Products
If you want more granular control and only disable reviews for specific products, follow these steps:
1. Edit the Product: Go to Products in your WordPress dashboard and select the product you want to edit.
2. Find the “Discussion” Section: Scroll down to the bottom of the product editing page. You may need to click “Screen Options” at the top right and ensure the “Discussion” checkbox is enabled to see the Discussion metabox.
3. Uncheck “Allow Reviews”: In the “Discussion” section, uncheck the box labeled “Allow reviews”.
4. Update the Product: Click the “Update” button to save your changes.
Repeat these steps for each product where you want to disable reviews.
#### 3. Using a Code Snippet (Advanced)
For developers or users comfortable with code, you can use a code snippet to disable reviews. This method can be useful for more complex scenarios or when combined with conditional logic. Always back up Check out this post: How To Change Default Shop Page In Woocommerce your site before making code changes.
<?php /**
Where to add the code:
- Theme’s `functions.php` file: This is the most common method. However, changes will be lost if you update your theme.
- Child Theme’s `functions.php` file: The best option if you are using a custom theme.
- Code Snippets plugin: A safer and more convenient option. This plugin allows you to add and manage code snippets without directly editing theme files.
Explanation: This code snippet uses the `woocommerce_product_tabs` filter to remove the “Reviews” tab from the product page. It effectively hides the reviews section from users.
#### 4. Disabling Reviews via WooCommerce API (Advanced)
If you’re managing your store programmatically using the WooCommerce API, you can disable reviews by updating the product’s meta data. Specifically, you’ll need to set the `reviews_allowed` meta field to `false`. Here’s a conceptual example of how you might do this using PHP:
<?php
use AutomatticWooCommerceClient;
// WooCommerce API credentials
$url = ‘YOUR_STORE_URL’;
$ck = ‘YOUR_CONSUMER_KEY’;
$cs = ‘YOUR_CONSUMER_SECRET’;
// Initialize the WooCommerce client
$woocommerce = new Client(
$url,
$ck,
$cs,
[
‘wp_api’ => true,
‘version’ => ‘wc/v3’, // or the appropriate API version
]
);
$productId = 123; // Discover insights on How To Edit Woocommerce Menus Replace with the actual product ID
$data = [
‘meta_data’ => [
[
‘key’ => ‘reviews_allowed’,
‘value’ => ‘false’,
],
],
];
try {
$response = $woocommerce->put(‘products/’ . $productId, $data);
print_r($response); // Display the response (for debugging)
echo “Reviews disabled for product ID: ” . $productId;
} catch (AutomatticWooCommerceHttpClientHttpClientException $e) {
echo ‘
';print_r($e->getMessage());
echo '
‘;
}
?>
Important Notes:
- Replace placeholders: Make sure you replace `YOUR_STORE_URL`, `YOUR_CONSUMER_KEY`, `YOUR_CONSUMER_SECRET`, and `123` with your actual WooCommerce API credentials and the correct product ID.
- Error Handling: This example includes basic error handling. You should implement more robust error handling in a production environment.
- API version: Check the WooCommerce API version you are using and update the `$woocommerce = new Client()` appropriately.
- Security: Securely manage your API keys and restrict access as needed.
This method is generally used in more complex integrations where you need to control product settings programmatically.
What happens to existing reviews?
Disabling reviews using the above methods usually doesn’t delete existing reviews. Instead, it prevents new reviews from being submitted. The existing reviews may remain visible depending on your theme and plugins. If you need to remove existing reviews, you’ll need to do so manually from the WordPress dashboard (Comments section) or use a plugin designed for managing reviews.
Conclusion
Turning off product reviews in WooCommerce is a straightforward process with multiple options depending on your needs. Whether you need to disable reviews globally, for specific products, or programmatically, WooCommerce provides the flexibility you need. Remember to carefully consider the implications of disabling reviews and choose the method that best suits your business strategy. While reviews can be powerful, sometimes a strategic pause or a more curated approach can be beneficial. Always back up your site before making any changes, especially when modifying code. By understanding these different methods, you can effectively manage your product reviews and maintain a positive brand image.
