With the exponential growth of ecommerce, real reviews are more important than ever to both consumers and companies. Authenticity is important to us. Here’s why it matters for you.
Trust influences purchases
Consumers value the opinion of other consumers. Our research found that 71% of shoppers read consumer reviews before making a purchase. And those reviews lead to sales – visitors who read reviews convert 104% higher. Reviews have an enormous value in their ability to influence purchase intent.
But fraudulent reviews threaten to corrupt this invaluable tool – for shoppers and businesses alike. Now, 7 in 10 consumers question the authenticity of reviews they read. Some believe companies reward positive reviews, remove negative ones, or employ people to write fake reviews. When you create a great product or provide superior service and earn glowing reviews, your hard work is diminished by this growing distrust.
It’s not too late – we can reduce doubt and increase trustworthiness with action. Forty-four percent of consumers say they would be “more trusting of reviews” if a company included a trust mark and accompanying description of anti-fraud policies.
And confidence in trust marks is growing. Almost half of consumers already expect to see trust marks displayed where they shop online, and 18% prioritize websites that display marks because they believe “the content is authentic.”
Authentic content leads to better business decisions
Brands and retailers turn to user-generated content to provide consumer insights, marketing content, and product innovation. Savvy companies are capitalizing on this real-time data to guide decision making, as feedback reveals what customers want and love.
By analyzing consumer reviews and communication, companies learn what works and adapt to provide more of it. L.L. Bean’s product managers hold weekly meetings to analyze shopper reviews and plan responsive action. Products have even been altered or discontinued based on customer feedback. What if that feedback is compromised by fraudulent reviews – compromising the resulting decisions?
Consider the altruistic nature of review writers: 87% of reviewers write to help others, improve the product, and share insights. What if consumers stop communicating because they no longer feel their opinion makes a difference, since it’s buried in inauthentic content?
Knowing your customer reviews are authentic allows your company to make better strategic decisions, informed by real, valuable data. And keeping your site free of fraudulent content encourages reviewers to keep sharing their authentic opinions.
Trust changes everything
By making authenticity a priority you reassure consumers – which leads to more sales and trust in your brand. Authentic consumer feedback means you can guide your company confidently in new directions. The ROI of authentic reviews is unquestionable.
We’re committed to providing open, reliable communication everyone can depend on. You can learn more about our trust mark and authenticity policy here.
