How Product Reviews Influence Your Buying Decisions

Online reviews are one of consumers’ most essential information when purchasing. Whether positive or negative, people want to see the experience of others before buying a product.

Credibility

Online reviews allow consumers to share their experiences with products and services and allow businesses to learn from them. Consumers rely on online product reviews for many reasons, from gaining insight into using a new product to making informed purchase decisions. However, not all reviews are created equal. Some are more credible than others, and the credibility of a review can influence a customer’s purchasing decision. The credibility of a product review, for example, an ASEA Review, is primarily based on the author’s reputation. It is also influenced by the appearance of the image and the overall quality of the associated text. This is consistent with predictions based on information processing theory, which suggests that people will incorporate visual information into their evaluations of sources as they make attributions of credibility.

Social Proof

Known as the “wisdom of the crowd,” social proof influences your buying decisions by showing you what others like you have already done. Reviews, ratings, and visual user-generated content (UGC) are some of the most common forms of social proof. These elements can help you increase sales and build customer trust when displayed strategically. In e-commerce, customer feedback is one of the most effective tools for boosting conversions and establishing credibility. These positive reviews are essential to any digital marketing strategy, whether displayed on your product pages, website footer, or elsewhere.

Insight

When customers read online reviews, they get a firsthand account of the product’s quality and the company’s response to any problems or issues. This is why most consumers say they’d buy a product with a high rating even if it were not at the top of their list. In addition, customers would be willing to leave a review for your business if asked – a powerful piece of customer feedback and an opportunity to get your brand in front of potential buyers. However, it’s important to diversify where you display your reviews. Fewer than 5% of consumers trust products with more than 501-1,000 reviews, possibly due to a perceived association with fake or low-quality reviews. Instead, shoppers want to see reviews from various third-party sources to build trust in the product’s credibility and reviews.

Reputation

Online reviews have become a critical source of information for shoppers while making their purchase decisions. A positive review by a satisfied customer can influence a shopper’s buying decision. However, negative reviews can also deter shoppers from making a purchase. As a result, firms must understand how to leverage customer reviews in their marketing campaigns and business practices. Researchers experimented with participants using an eye movement tracking system to understand better online reviews’ role in a consumer’s purchase decisions. They randomly selected several reviews from a given website and showed them to the participants. Their eye movements and decisions were then analyzed to determine whether the review positively or negatively influenced their final decision.

Convenience

With 83 percent of customers saying that shopping convenience is more important than five years ago, brands should offer convenient options. Whether this means next-day delivery or guest checkout, providing a handy choice will boost conversions. In addition, many shoppers value buying online and picking up in-store, also known as BOPIS. However, the impact of convenience depends on the type of product and consumer and is not one-size-fits-all. A study showed positive and negative reviews influenced purchase intent, but the product type moderated their effects.

Moreover, the effect of review valence was further moderated by the gender of the participant, with female participants paying more attention to negative comments than males. This is why it’s essential to offer a variety of shopping experiences and to provide an online platform where consumers can find the information they need. Providing easy-to-find online customer reviews and ratings will give you the best chance of impacting shoppers and driving purchasing decisions.