99% of Consumers Rely on Online Reviews Before Making Purchases

Written by: Jon McDonald – Edited by: Lillian Guevara-Castro – Reviewed by: Ashley Fricker

As an online consumer, purchasing a product with so many similar options available in the market can be difficult. What makes one item better than another? One way to discern between good and bad products is through online reviews.

Reviews offer insight that an online description can’t and provide feedback from customers who have used or previously purchased the product of interest. Good reviews can increase sales, while negative reviews may dissuade a customer.

We surveyed American consumers who shop online to understand just how influential reviews can be. Nearly all (99%) of the survey respondents said they look at reviews before making an online purchase, and 1 in 3 claim they always read online reviews before buying anything.

The influence of online reviews cannot be understated, as the vast majority (97%) of Americans surveyed say these reviews influence their purchasing decisions. There are varying degrees of influence, but for almost two-thirds of American consumers responding to the survey, reviews are either very or extremely influential.

More than half (68%) of survey participants agree that online reviews have become even more influential in recent years. This may be in part due to a company’s focus on branding, strong social media presence, or an influx of influencers.

Online reviews can be so influential that 86% of American consumers surveyed said they are willing to buy a more expensive product with better reviews over a cheaper product with mixed feedback. The most helpful types of reviews include those that mention specific pros and cons or reviews with detailed descriptions of the product. Consumers surveyed said they find online reviews with a simple star rating and no additional feedback to be the least helpful.

Americans don’t just want to read the positive reviews, negative reviews influence a purchase decision just as much as positive ones. Nearly all (97%) of American consumers surveyed agree that negative reviews impact their decision to buy something, and 96% say they have changed their minds after reading negative reviews.

American consumers surveyed said they are looking for products with more than one or two reviews. To be considered a well-reviewed product, they’d like there to be an average of 277 online reviews. This doesn’t mean they’re reading every single one, but they are spending about 18 minutes reading reviews before making a purchase. Before feeling good about buying a product, they’re generally reading at least six online reviews.

Most online reviews are on a 5-point scale, with 1 being a poor product and 5 being an excellent product that they’d recommend. When reviewing reviews, Americans surveyed said they will consider buying something with a 3.9 review rating, but the majority (76%) of respondents say they would prefer products with a 4 or higher rating.

Online reviews are a proven way to grow trust in a company or brand, and 92% of Americans surveyed would agree. The opposite also holds, as 82% of respondents said they do not trust products without any reviews.

Although consumers say they trust reviews and products that have them, they aren’t necessarily trusting of all reviews. Consumers like to do their research, and the majority (87%) of respondents said they will search for a specific product to read a variety of reviews across different commerce sites. This may be because most (96%) American consumers surveyed believe companies can manipulate online reviews to make their product appear better.

The most trusted types of reviews include those from verified purchasers, friends or family, or professional critics. The least trusted reviews include those by celebrities or influencers and promotional reviews.

According to nearly 1 in 4 Americans, the age of a review also matters. Consumers want to read recent reviews, and 3 in 5 will only consider online reviews written within the last year.

Americans don’t just read reviews, they’re also writing them. More than 4 in 5 Americans surveyed have written a review, whether it be positive or negative. Of those who have written reviews, 47% generally leave positive reviews, 8% leave negative reviews, and 45% leave an equal number of positive and negative reviews. Over a third admit to writing reviews frequently.

Most survey respondents said they leave a review for a high-quality product (69%), a positive experience (62%), or exceptional customer service (50%). An equal number said they leave reviews for either a low-quality product (49%) or negative experience (49%), while others write reviews for poor customer service (34%) or misleading advertising (34%).

Source: News Release