The Benefits Of Including Customer Reviews

With recent marketing solutions like cloud-based technology driving down business costs, retailers should consider the benefit of including customer reviews in their web stores. Many business owners may ask if it’s really worth it. Dave MacLeay, operator of the independent review site Trailspace.com, notes that a single review can make an impact on sales. With over 25,000 reviews collected, MacLeay’s website stands as a testimony to the power of customer involvement in the success of a company’s profits. Trailspace.com earns its revenue through advertising fees and marketing via affiliate companies.

MacLeay isn’t alone in his findings. Research supports the trend in including client reviews. According to Forrester Research, Inc., online content such as client reviews will influence over half of all retail sales over the next three years. A similar study conducted by Forrester revealed that reviews affected consumers’ decision to buy more than any other factor.

Customer Reviews Are Among the Leading Key Factors Consumers Use To Determine Their Purchase Decisions

PowerReviews, one of the leading review services offering advice to outdoor merchants, conducted a study which asked consumers to identify which of several key factors affected their decisions when it came to making purchases. The following breakdown reveals the impact of reviews:

• Customer reviews (59%)
• Q&A material (42%)
• Forums (26%)
• Videos (15%)
• Facebook news feeds & pages (13%)
• Text & mobile apps (9%)
• Twitter (9%)

Customer Reviews Give Your Consumers The Trust They Need

Just how much do these reviews matter? Commenting on the positive effect of reviews, MacLeay also notes that customers feel more at ease when they can see real-life testimonies on the products they wish to purchase. Companies hoping to gain trust from their client base should consider the positive impact of including customer reviews on their websites.