Avilio Istorijos: Establishing trust as a small-batch brand
In a country where honey is seriously buzzing business, standing out amongst the crowd isn’t easy.
Jolita Smaidrienė built Avilio Istorijos from a personal passion into a trusted organic brand by using Judge.me to prove her product’s value.
Here is their story and how Judge.me helped them by consistently delivering a trusted, easy-to-user reviews platforms filled with the necessary features to capture the buzz about their product (we'll stop with the bee puns now!)
Key Results
1,150+ verified product and store reviews
97–98% of reviews submitted via Judge.me automated email review requests
99% Authenticity and 98% Transparency scores from Judge.me
1 working day to fully set up the Judge.me app and widgets
The Challenge: Earning trust in a competitive market
In Lithuania, honey isn’t just food - it’s tradition, pride, and serious business. Customers know their stuff, expect top-tier quality, and don’t part with their trust easily.
Jolita Smaidrienė came from a corporate background so understood the ins and outs of business, but turning her beekeeping passion into a successful Shopify store meant proving her brand’s value fast. With a lean team, tight margins, and a niche product, she needed a way to build credibility at scale.
In a country where honey is serious business, reviews became her secret weapon - helping her store to stand out, earn trust, and win over even the most selective customers.
“There are more than 2,000 beekeepers in Lithuania. Only 23 are certified organic. We had to prove we were different.”
The Solution: Reviews that work while you grow
Jolita chose Judge.me to help build the trust she needed, without overwhelming her or her customers. After testing a more expensive app, she found Judge.me offered a better experience with simple setup, automation, and full transparency.
Lightning-fast setup with minimal maintenance
Jolita had Judge.me up and running in just one workday. With its intuitive UI and no-code customization, she was able to set everything up herself - no developers, no delays.
High review rates
Thanks to well-timed and well-worded email invitations, 97–98% of Avilio Istorijos’ reviews come through email. The process feels natural and unobtrusive for customers, which drives more engagement without adding friction.
Respectful reminders
Jolita sends just one gentle follow-up per review request. Her approach is intentional: avoid spamming or overwhelming customers, and instead create a review experience that feels authentic, not transactional.
Transparency tools that build trust
The dedicated Judge.me All Reviews page acts as a centralized trust anchor. Customers can see feedback across the store, not just on individual product pages , offering a bird’s-eye view of the brand’s authenticity and quality.
Marketing utility beyond the product page
Jolita doesn’t let her reviews sit idle. Screenshots and quotes are repurposed in blog content, welcome emails, and cart abandonment flows, bringing real customer voices into every touchpoint of her marketing.
SEO that speaks the customer’s language
Customer feedback directly influences how Jolita writes her product descriptions. Using real phrasing from reviews helps improve her Google search rankings while making product pages feel more relatable and trustworthy.
“Judge.me is the most essential app in my store. I recommend every Shopify merchant invest in reviews.”
Jolita’s advice for other ecommerce merchants
Jolita proves that even small stores can use reviews to create a big impact. Here’s her advice for other entrepreneurs looking to grow with authenticity:
Start collecting reviews from day one
Don’t wait to “look bigger”. Begin collecting reviews from your very first sale. Each review is a building block of credibility, even if you’re just starting out.
Keep it simple
You don’t need complex flows or constant daily review reminders. Respecting customer time leads to better feedback and stronger brand perception.
Say thank you
A simple thank-you message goes a long way. Jolita personally follows up with reviewers to show appreciation - turning one-time buyers into loyal repeat customers.
“Real reviews are gold. They build trust, and trust builds sales.”
