The Impact of Product Reviews on Consumer Purchasing Decisions
When was the last time that you purchased something online? Chances are, you looked at the reviews before hitting the ‘buy’ button. If so, you’re not alone. In today’s eCommerce landscape, product reviews have become a vital part of the purchasing decision for consumers. It’s because they provide us with valuable insights that we wouldn’t otherwise have access to.
Think about it - when you’re looking at two similar products, and one has twice as many reviews as the other, which are you more likely to buy? The answer is usually the product with more reviews. Why? Because we trust the opinions of others.
In fact, a study done by Brightlocal shows 84% of consumers trust online reviews as much as they trust product recommendations.
But why do we trust reviews so much? Here’s why...
#1 Serve as social proof
Product reviews can also be a source of social proof. People are more likely to trust a product or service if others have had positive experiences with it.
When you see that a product has dozens or even hundreds of positive reviews, it can help build trust and confidence in the product. This is especially true if the reviews are from people who are similar to you.
For example, if you’re looking for a new skincare product and find one that has hundreds of positive reviews from people with the same skin type as yours... Then that can be very convincing.
#2 Build trust in a brand
In addition to helping build trust in a specific product, reviews can also help build trust in a brand. If you see that a brand has mostly positive reviews...
It can give you confidence that they’re a reputable company that produces quality products.
On the other hand, if you see that a brand has mostly negative reviews, it can be a red flag, and you might want to avoid them.
#3 Make an informed decision
Product reviews can also help you make a more informed decision about which product to buy.
For example, let’s say you’re looking at two different products, and they both have lots of positive reviews.
But, the reviews for one product mention that it’s better for people with dry skin, while the reviews for the other product mention that it’s better for people with oily skin.
If you have dry skin, then you know which product is likely to be better for you, and you can make a more informed decision.
#4 Know what you’re getting
When you’re reading product reviews, you can also get a better sense of what you’re actually getting.
Some descriptions on product pages can be vague or misleading.
While the reviews can give you a more accurate idea of what the product is actually like.
Let’s say a product page might say that a hair product is “lightweight and non-greasy.” But what does that actually mean? Is it going to make my hair look greasy?
When you read reviews, you can get a better sense of the texture, smell, and results of the product. This can help you decide if it’s really the right product for you.
Another reason why reviews are so important is they can help you spot potential issues with a product like design flaws, and others.
Reading reviews can help you avoid buying a faulty item. No one wants to waste their money on a product that doesn’t work or that isn’t well-made, right?
Now, if you’re a brand owner, what does this article tell you?
One thing: you must start collecting reviews from your customers. You must actively reach out to your customers and encourage them to leave reviews.
With this in mind, it is important to create a system that makes it easy for customers to leave reviews. Here’s why: A study by Modern Comment revealed that while over 90% of people use reviews to make a buying decision, only 6% will actually leave one!
However, collecting and managing reviews can be difficult and time-consuming. And with all the other demands of running a business, these tasks can quickly become low priorities.
That’s where review apps come in.
Reviews apps help brand owners collect reviews from their customers and display them on their websites.
But these review apps do more than just collect and manage reviews. Take Debutify Reviews, for example, some of its features are spam and profanity filters.
Both of these help make sure that a website only shows reviews that are real and relevant.
So if you’re not yet using a review app, now is the best time to start. And if you are, make sure you’re using one that has features that can truly help you build trust with your customers and increase conversions.
Turn reviews into your best salesperson
Debutify Reviews collects, filters, and displays real customer reviews — with spam and profanity filters built in.