How to increase survey response rate (and what counts as a “good” one)

You’ve set up your survey, hit send, and… crickets.

Sound familiar?

Getting customers to complete surveys can feel like pulling teeth—but it doesn’t have to be that way. If you’re wondering how to increase your survey response rate (and what a good rate even looks like), you’re in the right place.

Let’s break it down.

Response rate vs. completion rate: What’s the difference?

These two metrics get lumped together a lot—but they measure different things:

• Response rate = % of people who started and submitted the survey
• Completion rate = % of people who started the survey and actually finished it

Here’s an example:

• You send your survey to 1,000 people.
• 150 people start it. That’s a 15% response rate.
• But only 90 people answer every question and hit “submit.” 

That’s a 60% completion rate. Why does this matter?

Because even if your response rate is healthy, a low completion rate signals that something’s off—maybe your survey is too long, unclear, asks open-ended questions too soon and/or gets personal too quickly.

Here’s why response rate and completion rate are worth tracking. Better rates mean more data and more data means:

• You’ll uncover real customer motivations (not guesses)
• Better feedback = better product, CX, and marketing decisions
• You catch issues (bugs, delivery problems, confusing flows) faster
• You build a feedback loop that improves retention over time

So how can you fix a low response rate? We’ll get to that shortly…

What is a good survey response rate?

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer here, but here are some general benchmarks:

• Email surveys: 10–15% is average
• Post-purchase surveys: 20–30% is solid
• Highly effective surveys: go as high as 60% 

We see an average 45% response rate at KNO. The “good” range depends on the channel, timing, and how engaged or loyal your audience/customers are. 

But if you’re below 10%, it’s a signal that something’s off—whether it’s timing, question quality, or delivery method.

Common reasons for low survey response rates

Before we get into best practices, here are common causes of poor response rates—and how to turn them around:

Need help knowing what to ask?

If you’re not sure where to start, we’ve built a question bank of 200+ post-purchase survey questions, organized by goal: attribution, product feedback, customer motivations, buyer personas, and more.

Use them as-is or tweak them to match your voice. Grab the full list here.

5 ways to increase your survey response rate

1. Start with simple questions before asking for detailed responses

As Paddy McLarnon, owner of PM Digital Design (a web development and CRO agency) puts it: “It makes total sense to start with something simple. People won’t jump straight into typing long answers.”

Begin with a tick-box question—something attribution-based or preference-driven—to get momentum going. Then follow up with a more intriguing second question (more on that below) and then ask for an open-ended response once they’re already engaged.

2. Make questions intriguing to maintain interest

Don’t let your second question be a snooze. Ask something that keeps the customer thinking and feeling like their input will actually have an impact.

Try:

• “What made you decide to purchase from us today?”
• “What benefit are you most looking forward to?”

These kinds of questions feel purposeful and set you up for a more thoughtful long-form response.

3. Ask: “Did anything nearly deter you from buying today?”

This one’s gold.

Paddy shared, “We always word it like that—‘Did anything honestly nearly stop you?’—and people will tell you what you’d never find on your own. Maybe images didn’t load. Maybe something felt sketchy. You can’t always catch bugs, but your customers will.”

It’s one of the most powerful ways to surface UX issues you didn’t even know existed.

4. Test delivery method and timing

Not all surveys are created equal, and not all surveys belong in inboxes. Consider:

• On-site surveys immediately after a purchase
• SMS surveys for fast feedback
• Delayed email surveys (e.g. after product delivery)

Different channels = different response behaviors. The goals, timing, and tone can shift depending on when and why you’re asking. Test and learn.

Optimizing based on context is just as important as the questions themselves.

7. Bring your surveys to 100% completion with AI

This one’s new—and game-changing.

Kno is now partnering with Faraday AI to help brands auto-complete partially finished surveys using persona-based data. 

Even if a customer drops off before answering all questions, we’ll enhance the response with Shopify and third-party data (like demographics and purchasing behavior) to give you a complete view.

The goal? 100% survey response rates. Even the drop-offs turn into insights.

Real proof: How Oats Overnight nailed a 58% response rate (with 20 questions)

If you’re thinking, “There’s no way people will answer more than a few questions…” — Oats Overnight is proof that when you follow best practices, long surveys can still perform incredibly well.

When Cesar Gonzalez, Marketing Director at Oats Overnight, implemented KnoCommerce’s survey, he didn’t hold back. The team rolled out a 20-question survey — and still saw a 58% response rate and a 77% completion rate.

So how did they pull it off?

They followed the exact principles outlined in this article:

• Perfect timing — right after purchase, when interest was highest
• Easy, engaging openers — starting with simple attribution questions
• Intriguing follow-ups — like “What benefit are you most excited about?”
• Personalized relevance — customers saw their answers reflected in email flows
• Low friction — clean UX, no overwhelming asks up front

“A nice discovery we’ve made with KNO is that we can’t ask too many questions in a post-purchase survey,” said Cesar. “Don’t be afraid to ask more—customers will respond when it’s done right.”

And the results? Rich, self-reported data that helps the team:

• Pinpoint top awareness channels and optimize ad spend
• Tailor messaging by motivation, lifestyle, and dietary preference
• Make data-backed product decisions, like launching their protein coffee line
• Strengthen retail relationships with insights from in-store habits

Bottom line: When you apply the best practices from this article, you can unlock high response rates—even from longer surveys. Oats Overnight is proof that it works.

Want better survey results?

Now that you know how to boost your response rate, the next step is asking the right questions.

We’ve put together a free question bank with 200+ proven post-purchase survey examples you can plug right into your flows.

Download the question bank here and start collecting insights that actually drive action.