Review Name Display controls how customer names appear alongside their reviews, with a strong emphasis on privacy protection and customer choice. Reviewsion takes a unique approach by preserving the original privacy decisions from each platform while offering options for visual consistency across your store.
Understanding the Privacy Philosophy
Why Privacy Matters
In today's digital landscape, customer privacy isn't just a feature – it's a fundamental right and expectation. How you handle reviewer names directly impacts:
Customer trust: Respecting privacy choices builds confidence
Legal compliance: GDPR, CCPA, and other regulations require careful data handling
Review authenticity: Balancing transparency with protection
Brand reputation: Privacy-conscious brands attract privacy-conscious customers
Reviewsion's Approach
Rather than forcing a one-size-fits-all solution, Reviewsion:
Respects platform decisions: Maintains each platform's privacy approach
Honors customer choices: Preserves what reviewers chose to share
Offers consistency options: Allows visual uniformity without compromising privacy
Never exposes hidden data: If a platform hides names, Reviewsion does too
How Names Display by Platform
Shopify / Reviewsion-Collected Reviews
Customer has full control:
During review submission, customers choose:
Show full name (John Smith)
Show first name only (John S.)
Stay anonymous (displays as configured in theme)
Their choice is always respected
No override without explicit permission
Why this matters: Direct reviews are the most personal interaction with your brand. Respecting the customer's display preference shows you value their privacy choices.
Etsy Imports
Shows Etsy display name:
Whatever name appears on Etsy is imported
Usually first name or username
Reflects Etsy's privacy settings
Maintains marketplace consistency
Privacy consideration: Etsy buyers expect their Etsy display name, not their full legal name, maintaining their marketplace identity.
Amazon Imports
Shows Amazon profile/username:
Imports public Amazon display names
Never exposes real names if Amazon doesn't
Typically shows usernames like "BookLover123"
Preserves Amazon's privacy protection
Important: Amazon takes privacy seriously, and so does Reviewsion. We never attempt to uncover names Amazon has chosen to protect.
eBay Imports
Shows eBay's masked username:
eBay automatically masks usernames (e.g., "a***b")
Reviewsion preserves this masking
Protects buyer-seller privacy
Maintains eBay's security standards
Why masked: eBay masks names to prevent off-platform transactions and protect both parties. This protection continues in Reviewsion.
CSV Imports
Shows whatever you provide:
You control the data during import
Can include full names, first names, or anonymous labels
Your responsibility to ensure consent
Follows your privacy decisions
Creating Visual Consistency
The Challenge
With multiple import sources, you might see:
"John Smith" (Shopify review)
"BookLover123" (Amazon import)
"a***b" (eBay import)
"Sarah" (Etsy import)
This creates an inconsistent appearance that can look unprofessional.
The Solution: Anonymization Options
For Amazon & eBay Names
Reviewsion offers an elegant solution for consistency:
Enable Anonymization
Navigate to Settings → Display Settings
Find "Reviewer Name Display"
Toggle "Replace Amazon/eBay names with your anonymized label"
Configure in Theme
Go to Shopify Admin → Online Store → Themes
Click Customize on your theme
Find Reviewsion block settings
Set "Anonymous formatting" to your preference:
"Verified Buyer"
"Verified Customer"
"Anonymous"
Etc...
Result
Amazon usernames → Your chosen label
eBay masked names → Your chosen label
Shopify/Etsy names → Unchanged (respect original choice)
Why Only Amazon & eBay?
These platforms already obscure real names:
Amazon uses usernames, not real names
eBay uses masked identifiers
Converting to a consistent label doesn't reduce transparency
Actually improves clarity for customers
Shopify and Etsy preserve choice:
Customers explicitly chose their display preference
Changing would violate their decision
Trust requires respecting these choices
Legal Considerations
GDPR Compliance
Under GDPR, names are personal data requiring:
Lawful basis for processing
Explicit consent for display
Right to erasure (deletion on request)
Data minimization (only show what's necessary)
Reviewsion helps by:
Preserving original consent choices
Never exposing more than source platforms
Allowing anonymization options
Supporting deletion requests
CCPA Requirements
California Consumer Privacy Act requires:
Transparency about data use
Option to opt-out
Equal service regardless of privacy choices
Reviewsion's approach naturally aligns with these requirements.
Troubleshooting
"Names showing inconsistently"
Check:
Anonymization settings in Reviewsion
Theme customizer configuration
Individual review sources
Cache clearing needed
"Want to change customer's choice"
Important: You cannot override individual choices
Respect customer decisions
Use anonymization only for already-masked names
Consider requesting new reviews with preferred settings
"Anonymous label not appearing"
Verify:
Setting enabled in Reviewsion
Theme supports anonymous labels
Correct theme block selected
Save and refresh needed
The Bigger Picture
Building Trust Through Privacy
Respecting reviewer privacy actually increases trust:
Customers feel safe leaving honest feedback
Privacy-conscious buyers appreciate the approach
Reduces hesitation about reviewing
Demonstrates ethical business practices
The Competitive Advantage
While competitors might expose every name possible, Reviewsion's privacy-first approach:
Attracts quality customers
Reduces legal risks
Builds long-term trust
Differentiates your brand
The Bottom Line
Review Name Display in Reviewsion isn't just about showing names – it's about respecting privacy, building trust, and creating a professional appearance. By mirroring platform decisions and offering thoughtful anonymization options, Reviewsion helps you balance transparency with protection.
The key insight: Customers trust brands that respect their privacy choices. By preserving the original privacy decisions from each platform and offering consistency through thoughtful anonymization rather than exposure, you build a review display system that customers can trust.