Product Rating Checker: How to Identify Your Prospects’ Tech Stack via Reviews

Modern B2B prospecting isn’t just about finding an email or phone number anymore. Top-performing sales teams now identify their prospects’ complete tech stack to personalize their approach and maximize conversion rates. The product rating checker has become a strategic tool for this mission.

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What is a product rating checker and why it’s crucial in 2026

A product rating checker is a sales intelligence tool that analyzes ratings, reviews, and feedback left by a company on platforms like G2, Capterra, or TrustRadius to identify which products and services they use.

Unlike traditional technographic data tools that scan websites (a limited method), a product rating checker taps into a much richer source: authentic reviews left by employees themselves.

Why this data is gold for SDRs

Imagine you’re prospecting Sarah, Head of Sales at a 50-person SaaS startup. Instead of sending a generic cold email, you discover through a product rating checker that her company recently left a 3-star review on their current CRM, mentioning integration issues with their email tool.

Your pitch instantly becomes 10x more relevant. You know:

• The exact pain point: CRM-to-email integration problem
• The timing: recent review = current frustration
• The approximate budget: they’re already paying for a CRM, so budget allocated
• Potential decision-makers: often mentioned in G2 reviews

According to a 2026 Gartner study, sales teams leveraging B2B review data increase their response rate by 47% and shorten their sales cycle by 23%. Product rating checkers turn this opportunity into a systematic process.

How a product rating checker works: the mechanism explained

The data source: B2B review platforms

Product rating checkers rely on three main platforms:

G2 is the B2B tech reference with over 1.7 million monthly visitors actively searching for solutions. Each review contains structured information: overall score, category details (ease of use, support, ROI), reviewer’s company size, and sometimes even the reviewer’s name and title.

The collection and analysis process

A performant product rating checker follows this workflow:

Step 1: Company identification You provide an entry point: company name, domain, LinkedIn URL, or even a contact email.

Step 2: Search for associated reviews The tool scans G2, Capterra, and TrustRadius to identify all reviews left by employees of that company. Verification happens via LinkedIn (G2 requires LinkedIn login to review) or corporate email domain.

Step 3: Extract insights For each review found, the tool extracts:

• The reviewed product (name + category)
• The rating given (typically 1-5 stars)
• Review date (critical for timing)
• Positive and negative points mentioned
• Reviewer profile (role, team size)

Step 4: Data structuring Raw data is transformed into actionable insights: list of tools used, estimated tech budget, satisfaction by tool category, recurring pain points.

This methodology goes far beyond simple website scraping because it reveals not only what a company uses, but how they use it and whether they’re satisfied.

Product rating checker vs tech stack detector: what’s the difference?

People often confuse product rating checkers with tech stack detectors (like BuiltWith or Wappalyzer). Here are the key differences:

Tech stack detector (traditional approach)

Method: Scans a website’s source code to identify loaded technologies (Google Analytics, Intercom, Stripe, etc.)

Strengths:

• Automatically detects public tools
• Requires no action from the target company
• Comprehensive for web-facing tools

Critical limitations:

• Only detects public web tools (no internal CRM, no ERP)
• No info on satisfaction or pain points
• No context on actual usage
• Sometimes outdated data (tool installed but no longer used)

Product rating checker (modern approach)

Method: Analyzes reviews left by employees on G2, Capterra, TrustRadius

Strengths:

• Reveals ALL tools (including internal: CRM, ERP, management tools)
• Indicates satisfaction level and specific pain points
• Contextualized data (team size, reviewer role)
• Timing: review date = potential buying signal

Limitations:

• Requires the company to have left reviews (not always the case)
• Variable coverage depending on company size
• Depends on company’s review culture

The winning combo: Use both approaches together. Tech stack detector for initial mapping, product rating checker for qualitative insights and buying signals.

Now that you know the basics and the difference from traditional approaches, let’s see how to set up an effective product rating checker workflow.

How to check a company’s product ratings: step-by-step guide

Manual method (free but time-consuming)

If you’re starting out or prospecting a limited volume of leads, here’s how to proceed manually:

Step 1: Identify the company domain

Go to your prospect’s website and note their main domain (example: acme-corp.com).

Expected result: You have the target company’s exact domain.

Step 2: Search on G2

1. Go to g2.com
2. In the search bar, type the company name
3. Filter by “Reviews written by users from [Company Name]”
4. Note each reviewed product with its rating

Pro tip: Use Google search operator for faster results: site:g2.com "[Company Name]" review

Expected result: List of products with their ratings and review dates.

Step 3: Analyze reviews in depth

For each identified product:

1. Read the complete review
2. Identify pain point mentions (“cons” section)
3. Note the reviewer’s role (CEO, Sales Manager, Developer)
4. Check the date (review <6 months = optimal timing)

Expected result: Qualitative insights on frustrations and needs.

Step 4: Repeat on Capterra and TrustRadius

Same process on Capterra and TrustRadius to complete your vision.

Method limitation: Count 15-20 minutes per prospect. Unsustainable at scale.

Automated method with Derrick (scalable)

Derrick transforms this manual process into a 1-click action directly in Google Sheets.

Derrick workflow: Find Product Rating by Company

Derrick offers several entry points depending on your available data:

Option 1: From a contact email You have a prospect’s email → Derrick extracts the domain → searches for associated G2 reviews

👉 Detailed workflow: Find Product Rating by Contact Email

Option 2: From company name You just have the name → Derrick identifies the company on G2 → extracts reviews

👉 Workflow: Find Product Rating by Company Name

Option 3: From website You have the URL → Derrick does the matching → retrieves reviews

👉 Workflow: Find Product Rating by Company Website

Option 4: From company LinkedIn You’re prospecting from Sales Navigator → Derrick uses the LinkedIn Company URL → finds reviews

👉 Workflow: Find Product Rating by LinkedIn Company URL

How it actually works

1. Prepare your data in Google Sheets
   • Column A: Prospect emails OR company names OR URLs
   • Install the Derrick add-on from Google Workspace Marketplace
2. Launch the G2 Company Insights feature
   • Select your data column
   • Derrick menu > G2 Company Insights
   • Choose the appropriate workflow (by email, by name, by website, by LinkedIn URL)
3. Derrick enriches automatically In seconds per row, Derrick adds:
   • List of used products (with category)
   • Average rating per product
   • Latest review dates
   • Direct link to complete review
4. Leverage the data for your outreach You now have a 360° view of each prospect’s tech stack and pain points.

Time saved: What took 15-20 minutes manually is done in 10 seconds per lead. For 100 prospects, you go from 30 hours to 15 minutes.

Tools and solutions for checking product ratings

Manual and free solutions

G2 Search (free)

• Advantages: Direct access to largest B2B review database, advanced filters, visible reviewer profiles
• Limitations: 100% manual process, no structured export, time-consuming at scale
• Ideal for: One-off prospecting, qualitative research on strategic account

Capterra Browse (free)

• Advantages: Wide SMB/mid-market coverage, often detailed reviews
• Limitations: Less ergonomic interface than G2, fewer filters
• Ideal for: Complementing your G2 research, SMB market focus

TrustRadius (free with limitations)

• Advantages: Ultra-detailed reviews (long format), enterprise focus
• Limitations: Smaller database, manual process
• Ideal for: Enterprise accounts, in-depth research

Sales intelligence platforms with product ratings

ZoomInfo (custom pricing)

• Features: Tech stack detection + some integrated reviews
• Strengths: Massive database, native CRM integration
• Limitations: Limited G2 reviews, focus on classic technographic data
• Price: From ~$15,000/year for small teams

6sense (custom pricing)

• Features: Intent data + tech stack + some review insights
• Strengths: Purchase prediction, ABM focus
• Limitations: No direct access to complete reviews, very expensive
• Price: ~$30,000/year minimum

Cognism (custom pricing)

• Features: Data enrichment + basic tech stack
• Strengths: GDPR compliance, Europe coverage
• Limitations: Product ratings not included in standard offer
• Price: On quote, typically >$10,000/year

Derrick: the native Google Sheets solution

Derrick App positions itself differently from classic enterprise solutions:

Approach: Native Google Sheets add-on, no external platform Product rating features:

• G2 Company Insights to extract reviews and ratings
• 4 workflows based on your entry point (email, name, website, LinkedIn)
• Automatic extraction of used products + ratings + dates
• Direct link to complete reviews for qualitative analysis

Strengths:

• Native Google Sheets integration (your existing workflow)
• Accessible pricing: from $9/month for 4,000 credits
• Rollover credits (unused credits carry over)
• 2-minute setup (no complex configuration)
• Combines product ratings + email finding + phone finding + LinkedIn scraping

Limitations:

• No dashboard interface (everything in Sheets)
• Depends on G2 data availability

Derrick pricing:

💡 1 credit = 1 enrichment (e.g., 1 product rating check = 1 credit). Unused credits roll over to next month.

Comparison: which solution to choose based on your profile

Pro tip: Always start with Derrick’s free plan (200 credits) to test the workflow before scaling.

Best practices: how to leverage product ratings to close more deals

1. Personalize outreach based on pain points

Don’t just mention the tool your prospect uses. Reference the specific pain point mentioned in their review.

❌ Generic approach:

“Hi Sarah, I saw you’re using [Competing CRM]. Our solution can help you.”

✅ Data-driven approach:

“Hi Sarah, I noticed your team uses [Competing CRM]. You mentioned in your June 2026 G2 review that integration with your email stack was problematic. That’s exactly what our solution solves natively with [Specific Feature].”

The second approach generates on average 3x more responses according to our internal data.

2. Timing: target recent negative reviews

A negative review less than 6 months old is a golden buying signal. The company is actively frustrated and therefore searching for solutions.

Recommended workflow:

1. Filter your prospects by “Review date < 6 months”
2. Filter by “Rating < 3.5 stars”
3. Prioritize these leads in your outbound sequence

Mike, BDR at a sales tech startup, increased his qualification rate from 28% to 41% by applying this method.

3. Identify allocated budgets

If a company leaves a 4-star review on a CRM at $150/user/month, you know they have a budget of at least $150/user/month for this category.

Application: Qualify your leads faster by eliminating those whose current budget is incompatible with your pricing.

4. Map potential internal champions

G2 reviews sometimes include the reviewer’s name and role. If you’re prospecting that company, contact that person directly: they already know the product category and proved they take time to review (= engaged).

Typical script:

“Hi [First Name], I read your review of [Tool] on G2. You mentioned [Pain Point]. I work on a tool that solves exactly that problem. Would you be open to a 15-minute chat?”

5. Combine product ratings + intent data

Recent reviews are a form of intent data. Combine them with other signals:

• Website visit (via Clearbit Reveal or Leadfeeder)
• Active G2 search (via G2 Buyer Intent if you’re a vendor)
• Company LinkedIn activity

A prospect who left a negative review + visits your site + is active on LinkedIn = ultra-hot lead to prioritize immediately.

6. Use AI to analyze at scale

Derrick integrates AI features (Ask Claude, Ask OpenAI) to automate review analysis:

Use case: You have 500 prospects with extracted product ratings. Use Ask Claude in Derrick to:

• Summarize each company’s pain points
• Score leads based on fit with your solution
• Generate personalized hooks for your cold emails

Workflow:

1. Column A: Company
2. Column B: Product ratings (via G2 Insights)
3. Column C: Ask Claude prompt → “Summarize in 2 sentences this company’s main pain points”
4. Column D: Automatically generated summary

Mistakes to avoid when using a product rating checker

Mistake 1: Relying solely on ratings without reading reviews

Symptom: You see a 4.2-star rating and assume everything’s fine.

Impact: You miss qualitative insights. Sometimes a company gives 4 stars but mentions a major dealbreaker in the “cons.”

Solution: Always read at least the “cons” section of each review. That’s where actionable pain points are.

Mistake 2: Ignoring review dates

Symptom: You reference a 2026 review in your 2026 outreach.

Impact: Prospect thinks you’re not up-to-date or that you’re spamming without real personalization.

Solution: Systematically filter by reviews from the last 12 months maximum. Ideally 6 months for hot buying signals.

Mistake 3: Neglecting reviewer’s company size

Symptom: You’re prospecting a 500-person company based on a review from a reviewer at a 5-person team.

Impact: Pain points and needs aren’t the same depending on size. You risk pitching a non-relevant angle.

Solution: Always check reviewer profile (team size, role). Prioritize reviews from profiles similar to your ICP.

Mistake 4: Spamming the whole company because one person left a review

Symptom: You send a generic cold email to 20 people at the company mentioning “I saw your G2 review.”

Impact: It sounds fake and spammy. Only one person left the review, not the whole team.

Solution: If reviewer name is visible, contact them first. Otherwise, personalize your message to not pretend you spoke to someone.

Mistake 5: Not cross-referencing with other data sources

Symptom: You base your entire prospecting solely on product ratings without checking other signals.

Impact: Some companies leave few reviews, so you miss opportunities. Others left old reviews not representative of their current situation.

Solution: Combine product ratings with:

• Technographic data (BuiltWith, Wappalyzer)
• LinkedIn Company data (growth, job postings)
• Website behavior (Clearbit Reveal)
• News & funding (Crunchbase)

Legal aspects: is it legal to leverage product ratings?

GDPR and public data

G2, Capterra, and TrustRadius reviews are public data voluntarily published by reviewers. Their use for B2B prospecting is legal under certain conditions.

What’s legal:

• Reading public reviews and extracting insights (tool names, pain points)
• Identifying company name associated with a public review
• Contacting the identified company via professional B2B channels

What requires caution:

• Directly contacting a named reviewer without another data source (can be considered intrusive)
• Massively scraping platforms without respecting their Terms of Service
• Using data for spam or untargeted prospecting

GDPR best practice:

1. Use product ratings as research input, not as sole data source
2. Always combine with other legal sources (public LinkedIn, company website)
3. Document your legal basis (legitimate interest for targeted B2B prospecting)
4. Respect opt-outs and communication preferences

Platform Terms of Service

G2 TOS:

• Authorizes manual consultation
• Prohibits aggressive automated scraping
• Official API available for vendors (paid)

Recommendation: Use tools like Derrick that respect rate limits and don’t overload servers.

Capterra / TrustRadius: Same principles. Consultation OK, massive scraping not OK.

Personal data protection

If a review mentions a reviewer name:

• ✅ OK: Use this info as context for your research
• ✅ OK: Mention “I read your review of [Tool]” if you contact this person found elsewhere
• ❌ Not OK: Build a reviewer database to spam them

Golden rule: Treat product ratings as business intelligence, not as a direct prospecting list.

Advanced use cases: product rating checker beyond prospecting

1. Competitive Intelligence

Use a product rating checker to analyze your competitors:

• What tools do your competitors use?
• What are their recurring pain points?
• What integrations are they missing?

Workflow: Extract product ratings from 50-100 customers of your competitor. Analyze frustration patterns. Position your solution to solve these specific pain points.

2. Product Development

G2 reviews are a goldmine for your product roadmap.

Example: If 60% of reviews in your category mention “missing Slack integration” in cons, it’s a feature to prioritize.

Derrick workflow:

1. Export product ratings of your 10 main competitors
2. Use Ask Claude to extract top 10 frustrations
3. Prioritize features that solve these frustrations

3. Content Marketing

Create content that addresses real pain points of your ICP.

Example: You notice 40% of reviews mention “complex onboarding” for CRMs in your category. Create a guide “How to Nail Your CRM Onboarding in 7 Days” that positions your solution.

4. Upsell and Cross-sell

Apply the product rating checker to your existing customers.

Workflow:

1. Extract product ratings of your top 100 customers
2. Identify tools they use alongside yours
3. If you have a feature that replaces that tool → upsell opportunity
4. If you can integrate with it → partnership opportunity

Emma, Customer Success Manager at a fintech, identified that 70% of their top customers used a specific e-signature tool. Result: integration developed, +30% upsell on this segment.

5. Account-Based Marketing (ABM)

For your strategic accounts, map their complete tech stack via product ratings.

ABM workflow:

1. List your 50 target accounts (ABM list)
2. Extract all their product ratings via Derrick
3. Identify for each account:
   • Complete current stack
   • Pain points by department (Sales, Marketing, Customer Success)
   • Estimated tech budget (sum of reviewed tools)
4. Create personalized ABM playbooks per account

Conclusion: integrate product rating checker into your workflow today

The product rating checker is no longer a nice-to-have. It’s become a strategic tool for any B2B team that wants to:

• Personalize prospecting at scale
• Reduce sales cycle
• Increase conversion rate

Top-performing teams now combine product ratings, technographic data, and intent signals to create hyper-targeted playbooks.

How to get started now:

1. Test the workflow manually: Take 5 of your best prospects, search their product ratings on G2, analyze insights. It’ll take 1 hour but you’ll immediately see the value.
2. Automate with Derrick: Install the free add-on (200 credits offered), test the Find Product Rating by Contact Email workflow on your prospect list. You’ll have results in 10 minutes.
3. Integrate into your sequence: Create a “Product Ratings Insights” column in your CRM or Google Sheets. Use these insights to personalize each touchpoint (email 1, LinkedIn message, discovery call).

Automate your product rating research

Try Derrick free with 200 credits. No credit card required.

Start for free →

Modern sales intelligence is about these micro-advantages. While your competitors send generic cold emails, you arrive with precise knowledge of your prospects’ tools, budgets, and frustrations. The product rating checker is your secret weapon to achieve this.

FAQ

What exactly is a product rating checker?

A product rating checker is a tool that analyzes reviews and ratings left by a company on G2, Capterra, or TrustRadius to identify their tech stack and pain points. It transforms public data into actionable sales intelligence.

Is it legal to use product ratings for prospecting?

Yes, G2/Capterra reviews are public and their consultation is legal. Simply respect GDPR by documenting your legal basis (B2B legitimate interest) and honoring opt-outs. Avoid aggressive scraping that would violate platform Terms of Service.

How much does a product rating checker cost?

Prices vary: free manual consultation but time-consuming, enterprise solutions like ZoomInfo from $15K/year, or Derrick from $9/month for 4,000 credits. Choice depends on your prospecting volume and budget.

Can you find product ratings for all companies?

No, only those who left public reviews on G2, Capterra, or TrustRadius. Large tech companies typically have more reviews than traditional SMBs. Combine with other sources for complete coverage.

What’s the difference with a tech stack detector?

A tech stack detector (like BuiltWith) scans website code to identify public tools (analytics, chat, etc.). A product rating checker analyzes reviews to reveal ALL tools (including internal like CRM, ERP) plus satisfaction levels and pain points.

How does Derrick find a company’s product ratings?

Derrick uses the G2 Company Insights feature that takes as input an email, company name, website, or LinkedIn URL. It then identifies all G2 reviews associated with that company and extracts reviewed products with ratings and dates into your Google Sheets.