How effective are product reviews? More than 80% of retailers according to Customer Product Reviews: The New Generation, prominently feature product reviews on e-Commerce or e-Business websites. The best reviews come from people who have similar interests and similar lifestyles; not necessarily just from family or friends. It aids in business performance, feedback, and customer loyalty.
Channel Advisor which automates day-to-day tasks of online retailers so they may more strategically sell across multiple markets, state that nearly all searches are influenced by customer product reviews. Who among us doesn’t check out a product before we purchase it? Statistically Channel Advisor states:
- 46% of shoppers are influenced to buy products by checking customer product reviews.
- 43% of shoppers are deterred from buying products by checking customer product reviews.
- 3% of shoppers are unaffected.
Positive reviews, testimonials, and catalogs often feature “top rated product pages” to boost sales. So what should be done about negative reviews? Chances are there’s always going to be someone or some product that is going to go awry. The best solution is to let the negative reviews teach a company valuable lessons. Is there something wrong with the product? How many people are complaining, and are you as a business owner reading the complaints? Some businesses might hurry and delete the complaints, but if a business watches the bad reviews, contacts the vendor, and demands a new shipment with the flaws corrected, people are impressed. Companies need to pay attention and reach customers at the right time; when the action is happening and not weeks or months down the line.
So how do you get people to post reviews? Here are some suggestions that can encourage people to share their positive feelings about a product:
- Offer customers an incentive if they post a review. You can offer a coupon or a discount towards their next purchase.
- When a customer is checking out, ask them to write a product review and share their thoughts.
- Follow up with your customers after the purchase, and ask them to give you some feedback about the product.
- Have a newsletter, and encourage customers to write an article about their purchase and offer to print the five best ones in the next issue.
Keep your customers clapping; it’s a positive way to build brand loyalty. Just make sure that customers get what they pay for, and work hard to win your customers’ confidence.
photo credit: EverJean
