Why Product Reviews Are So Important
Some customers find online shopping to be risky. When it comes to things like clothes, beds, or other products that aren’t single-use, consumers want to be sure they’re getting their money’s worth. But how can they do that when they can’t try out the product before purchasing? This is where product reviews come in.
Product reviews can make or break the chance for a sale, which is why it’s essential to understand the importance of product reviews. We’ve got four reasons below.
4 Reasons Why Product Reviews Are So Important
#1 They Establish Trust Between Customers & Companies
No one wants to take their business to a company they can’t trust. That’s why customers look for trust signals when researching new products and companies. These signals commonly take the form of:
- Money-back guarantees
- Previous client lists with recognizable businesses
- Memberships to professional organizations, like the Better Business Bureau
- Online security verification
- Reviews from previous customers
Customer reviews are a form of social proof, a concept that suggests people generally follow the trends of the masses. And let’s face it, people are more likely to trust other people over corporations. That’s why reviews can be so persuasive during the consideration phase.
A positive review will show that someone was satisfied with a product or service in the past. This will inspire a new customer who is researching the company to take this perception and adopt it as their own, meaning you’ve gained their trust.
#2 They Lead to More Product Sales
Another key reason for the importance of product reviews is that they drive sales. Simply put, the more reviews you have, the easier it will be for people to find and read them. This in turn increases your online visibility, making more people aware of your products and guiding them to your eCommerce site.
Visibility is key to getting more product sales. How will anyone buy your product if they don’t know it exists? The better you establish your presence on review sites like Google and Amazon, the better chance you’ll have to catch new customers.
More reviews also mean you’re getting current and relevant reviews. Over 85 percent of online shoppers don’t think reviews older than three months are worth reading, so getting a steady stream can greatly increase your sales.
#3 They Do Marketing for You
If you think about it, marketing messages are just ways to tell your target audience that they should buy your product. Product reviews do this work for you.
An excellent product review can check off all the boxes of a good marketing message. They’ll address:
- Why the reviewer sought out the product
- Highlight how the product or service performed compared to the expectation
- List various features of the product
Product reviews can also give customers a seemingly “inside scoop” about the product, which they’ll perceive as an honest form of marketing.
Not to mention, product reviews can be anywhere. Between Amazon, Google, Yelp, and even Facebook, consumers can easily see reviews of your product.
#4 They Can Push Customers to a Conversion
Potential customers will generally be looking at customer reviews when they’re in the consideration phase of the buyer’s journey. This means they’re leaning towards making the conversion, but they just want a little more information before taking the final step.
So, seeing a product with 5-star reviews will often convince them to buy it, and even just a few reviews rather than none strengthens how a customer views a product. In fact, one study found that products with 5 reviews are 270% more likely to lead to conversion when compared to products with no reviews at all.
And nothing better illustrates the importance of product reviews than the fact that increasing how many you have is often correlated with higher sales numbers. This goes back to the social proof idea: The more people seem to trust the product, the more likely they’ll want to purchase one.
Get a Bigger & Better Product Review Page
Here at Shopper Approved, we want all of your product review pages to be at their best. We can work with you to gather more positive reviews that will turn your company into the reputable brand you deserve to be. Visit our website to find out what the best kind of reviews look like and how you can get more for yourself.
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