E-commerce opened up a fundamentally new shopping experience and erased the boundaries of traditional trade. Wherever your buyer is, whatever language and currency they use, they can buy from you online from the comfort of their bedroom.
However, being far from the object of their need, consumers tend to take a deep look into online product reviews before making the final decision. In fact, 93% of buyers say they go through online customer reviews for the product they are planning to purchase.
Online customer reviews matter
In a world where millions of goods and services are advertised as flawless and “just for you”, shoppers turn to word of mouth for reassurance. According to Statista, 79% of buyers find online reviews as reliable as those of their friends and family.
Allowing customers to share how they feel about your products can make all the difference in your business. A bunch of positive customer reviews will significantly increase your trust score and online credibility. And negative feedback, although it’s a pain point, will give you an idea of what can be improved.
This article expands on other ways your business can benefit from online customer reviews and how to encourage buyers to leave them.
Advantages of online customer reviews
Customer reviews boost sales
The very presence of ratings and customer reviews is proven to ultimately lead to an increase in sales. While some sellers try to engage new customers with a brand name, favorable prices, and free shipping, buyers feel much more confident purchasing products with positive reviews from fellow shoppers.
Customer reviews increase shopper trust
Excellent customer service always leaves a long-lasting impression. Buyers appreciate the opportunity to share their thoughts and be heard, so give it to them! Also, responding to customer reviews, both positive and negative, shows you really care and helps to develop a closer relationship with your buyers.
Customer reviews help improve product quality
For sure, you can’t expect every aspect of your business to run smoothly. Sooner or later, you may encounter an unhappy customer review. Find out what frustrated your buyer and do your best to resolve their issue. As a result, you will improve your business and get a loyal customer who is more likely to return for a new purchase.
Customer reviews enhance SEO
Good customer reviews can increase your store’s ranking in search results by up to 10%. All this without the extra time and energy on your part. The thing is buyers often mention your company and products in customer reviews, which is great for SEO. This is the low-cost marketing your buyers do for you. In turn, you get a more visible online presence and let other buyers know that your business is trusted.
How to encourage customer reviews
Now that you have a clear picture of how important online customer reviews are for a winning business let us share some tips and tricks on how to get more feedback from your buyers.
Ask customers for a review
The easiest way to get a customer review is to ask for one. Do not rely on buyers in this matter, even if they are completely satisfied with the service. Take the initiative! More than 72% of those asked to leave an online review will do so. And consider giving customers some time to test the product before asking for meaningful feedback.
Make submitting reviews easy for customers
Whether you ask for the review right after checkout or email your customer several days after delivery, keep it simple. No buyer wants to spend too much time on surveys, no matter how happy they are with the product. Include a few simple questions and ensure the feedback form submission goes smoothly. This way, customers will be more willing to share their thoughts.
Motivate customers to write a review
Your customers will happily leave great feedback if your products are good, but you can go even further. A 10% discount on the next purchase or a promo code for free shipping will melt your buyer’s heart and create a positive experience. And you, in turn, kill two birds with one stone, get a review and encourage the customer to buy from you again.
To sum up
As you can see, customer reviews are the main source of information about the product today. They have the power to make a humble business prosper like never before and do serious damage to the reputation of any renowned brand.
There are many ways to get positive reviews from buyers, but no sound strategy can eventually outsmart your customers. They want a quality product and excellent service that exceeds their expectations. Therefore, your online store must run smoothly.
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