How much can users’ review affect a brand reputation? The answer is obvious: a lot. Actually, even negative reviews, if handled properly, can pay back. And in a digital market featuring a micronization of brands, this become even more relevant.

A research carried out by Zoorate entitled “The power of reviews”, presented during the latest Netcomm Forum 2017, seems to confirm this.

Having surveyed a total of 1600 consumers (54,90% males and 45,10% females), it shows that 93% of web shoppers take reviews in great considerations. More specifically, 18,21% thinks they are crucial, while 41,51% thinks they are really important. Only very few interviewees defined them as “little” or “not important at all” (1,22% and 0,64% respectively).

64,35% of interviewees also pointed out that such reviews are expected to be true and reliable, thus, cheating can backfire.

And what about negative behaviors? Users seem to have no doubt about this issue: 65,14%, i.e. 2 out of 3 users, before buying something, checks for unanswered negative comments. On the other hand, 25,68% (1 out of 4) feels reassured by reading some negative comments with the consequent answers by the shop.

8 of 10 users, especially aged between 18 and 44, read from 1 to 15 reviews before shopping, 45,17% checks from 6 to 15 reviews and 13% reads from 16 to 30.

Therefore, it is clear that a prompt and well balanced reply from the marketer to criticism, hopefully containing some explanations, can actually lead customers to continue with their purchase instead of giving it up.

Also, if we consider that 95,08% of purchasers (19 out of 20) post their comments on online shop websites, while 4,92% (1 out of 20) use social networks and forums to express spontaneous feedback, we can understand that the interest shown by marketers for their clients’ opinion is highly appreciated.

Most evidently, e-shops wishing to stand out in the web are supposed to read their customers’ comments and provide them with a dedicated space where to express them. A clever management of reviews, indeed, is not only a good parameter concerning their satisfaction level, but also an important marketing tool, a free source of information concerning their needs and requirements, but also a precious instrument on the basis of which designing offers and optimizing services.

When buying something online, do you read reviews? And what do you do in case you find some negative reviews? If you are a marketer instead, do you consider your customers’ review important or not? Tweet @agostinellialdo.

If you liked this post, you should read “How working with influencers will turbocharge your marketing”