With the advent of technology, the world is mustering on e-commerce sites and applications. Almost all businesses are selling their products online, which makes them generate easy revenue and market them to a broader audience.
However, several parameters are contributing to the success and trustworthiness of an e-commerce store. And product reviews are one such factor that helps in elevating the credibility and standards of an online business.
As an online retailer, product reviews play a crucial role in your sales. While on the other hand, customers get to learn more about the product.
Sellers, or in this case, the online retailer are benefited with the most valuable of resources – Customer Feedback.
Let’s have a look at some of the staggering numbers (approx.):
- 70% of customers resort to review and ratings before placing an order online.
- 65% of customers are likely to purchase from a site that has user reviews
Retailers often underrate the importance of product reviews and instill efforts in other administrative chores. In this guide of ours, we’ll be talking about how user reviews can impact your decision while purchasing a product that has been waiting for days in your cart.
With a plethora of products and reviews available online, it was hard for me to find a genuine review about the product I was planning to buy. However, Akin trends, a well-documented site helped me in making a sound decision on what are the pros and cons of that particular product.
Reasons why product reviews are required
1. Building Trust with Brand
If there are no reviews on a product page, there might not be the credibility on whether the shipment would be delivered or not. Feedbacks are vital for other customers that will help others to decide to buy it or not.
Customers lookout for feedback from real shoppers, which allows them to believe they are making the right choice.
2. Plenty of Information
Descriptions along with the product are handy, but are just a sales pitch and not contain the specifications or use of the product. Genuine feedback from customers outline the features that you may not be knowing or also give an idea of how a product may actually work.
With e-commerce apps having their review pages more innovative than others, few major sites like Amazon and Flipkart allow customers to post images and videos on how an item looks and how to use it. With media files, a shopper will learn how the products look in real life; eventually allowing customers to voice their opinions more intensively.
3. Proliferating Conversions
If the reviews on a product page seem satisfying, customers are more likely to purchase from that particular site. A shopper will stick to a website if one finds it more information on the product review page, which then leads to the purchasing of the product.
Product reviews have played and will always play a crucial role in purchase decisions. A potential buyer relies on feedback from the existing customer, one who has already purchased the product or has sound knowledge about the related products.
As every product comes with its own pros and cons, it is better to hear from current owners about the product you are about to purchase. This will then allow you to make an informed decision for your purchase.
Before buying products online, people stroll to various other sites to collate information as much as possible about it. With our research, we found out that customers are more likely to search for terms such as “product name + review” for gathering appropriate information.
A product with a good number of good reviews and ratings stipulate that the product is popular and has earned a satisfied customer; this serves as an inspiration for new shoppers.
Here are a few reasons why sellers encourage fair reviews.
- Assist customers in making an informed decision
- Elevate customer trust and satisfaction
- Alleviate post-sales complaints
While sellers can use these reviews in understanding the customer’s likes and dislikes. A seller/online retailer can interact with the customers directly and learn about the product from shoppers and initiate developments wherever it is due.
With a proper follow-up, a seller can understand loopholes of its products and areas it can improve to meet the needs of a shopper. With this, we can ultimately say that good user experience will help the business prosper in the future.
Product reviews are essential for both buyers and sellers of an online store. And it is said that a review can either make or break the deal. Product reviews determine the longevity of the relationship between buyer and seller.
Here is what Jeff Bezos had to say on why customers are treated as “hosts” at Amazon – “We see our customers as invited guests to a party, and we are the hosts. It’s our job every day to make every important aspect of the customer experience a little bit better.“.