According to research, at least 40% of online shoppers cannot buy a product online without first reading the customer reviews. At least 90% of online shoppers take time to read customer reviews on products and services online before making a purchase. Of this number, 83% take time to compare positive and negative reviews before making an informed purchase decision.
Today’s world is eCommerce driven, with 80% of internet users relying on the internet for products and services. In a world where it is impossible to touch or physically see a product before it is shipped to them, online shoppers rely on reviews to influence their purchasing decisions. This shows how critical reviews are to eCommerce.
Online review websites like Facebook and Yelp! give access to tens of thousands of user opinions on any product or service. Today reviews shape the opinion of consumers on a product or service online. For any company looking to attract clients in the online space, keeping up with client reviews is critical to the existence of your business.
Who is Reading Online Reviews?
The correct answer to this question is – virtually everyone. At least 91% of people read reviews, with research showing that 84% trust the review as much as they would recommendations from a trusted source.
Negative reviews carry the same weight as positive ones. 82% of people who read reviews always look out for negative reviews. Therefore, it is important to note that negative reviews are also noticed. When it comes to negative comments, users spend more time on a site interacting with negative reviews, which boosts conversion rates.
Generally, potential buyers love reviews. Having one review with a few positive words may help shape an opinion, but dozens of reviews with the same details help shape buying decisions. It takes an average of 40 reviews for a consumer to trust an average star rating.
The Impact of Online Reviews
They Make Your Page More Visible
Search engine optimization (SEO) is critical to the success of any eCommerce site. When you have numerous reviews from customers, it means that your brand is constantly mentioned in posts. This improves the visibility of your eCommerce website on search engines, therefore improving brand awareness.
When your brand and product are visible to search engines, your brand will pop up in multiple search results, making it known to your target audience. Reviews across multiple platforms do the SEO heavy lifting by organically boosting your page’s visibility.
For instance, having strong positive reviews on Yelp helps to rank your website high on search results whenever internet users search for companies in your niche.
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Building trust
With the global e-commerce market estimated to be worth at least 4 billion dollars, hundreds of brands sell the same products or services online. Without a way of verifying the product or its quality, consumers often have a hard time trusting a vendor.
Reviews are the most trusted option when it comes to trusting a brand. When a customer reads dozens of positive reviews on a product or company, they start to trust the brand and believe that the product is of high quality, thus increasing the chances of conversion. Customers are 60% more likely to associate with eCommerce vendors with reviews.
Vital to Decision Making
When it comes to online shopping, making a purchasing decision is much more complicated compared to shopping in a brick-and-mortar store. When shopping online, shoppers take more time to evaluate a product, read reviews and compare vendors before purchasing.
Reviews play a key role in the decision-making process. They give the buyer a better idea of the product and the vendor. Through reviews, they can tell key details about a product, such as a shape, size, material, and whether it lives up to the ad.
Impact on Sales
With more than 90% of online customers taking the time to read reviews before purchasing, it is safe to say that reviews play a critical role in eCommerce sales. The reviews you have on your product can drive up sales or hinder sales.
Reviews have an impact on the SEO of a site. When you have positive reviews on your site, you get more traffic to your eCommerce store, which boosts conversions. This improves the visibility of your site on search results, which draws even more traffic and sales to your site.
How can you encourage customers to review your Products?
Email clients after service
One of the best ways to ask clients to leave a review on your product is through email. With the email review request, timing is everything. Give the client time to use the product to form an opinion before they can review it. So, don’t miss the opportunity to manage email marketing campaigns.
Offer incentives
While paying for reviews is frowned upon, giving your clients an incentive to review your eCommerce product or business is acceptable. To encourage your clients to review your product, you can offer discounts on their next purchase when they leave a review. This not only encourages them to leave a review but also encourages them to make a future purchase to redeem their discount.
Make them understand why their review matters
To encourage your clients to leave a review, make them understand why it is important to them and your business. Clients are more likely to respond to a review request when they feel that their opinion adds value. This is why most brands ask for reviews to help them serve their client base better.
Make the reviews public
The best way to encourage clients to leave reviews is by ensuring that you post their opinion to help other clients make purchasing decisions. Customers are more likely to be open to sharing their opinion on a product when they feel that other buyers can benefit from the information.
Conclusion
Reviews play an integral part in any eCommerce business. By encouraging your clients to leave reviews, you can build brand awareness and integrity, driving up sales for your business. Determine the best way to encourage your clients to leave reviews for the benefit of our business.