Reviews are the biggest factor influencing purchasing decisions, surpassing price, content, and fulfillment, according to a survey of 50,000 shoppers – yet on average, shoppers review only 0.2% of the products they purchase.
That’s data from Stackline, which provides services to brands and retailers – including the ability to send automated messages to shoppers who have purchased their products. “When customers purchase on Amazon, Chewy, or other retailers, our automated review request feature makes it quick and easy for you to start getting more reviews,” according to Stackline.
The company said brands maintain an average star rating of 3.93 – with the exception of Apparel, the average rating for brands across every department is below 4-stars.
Stackline examined the impact that 20 five-star reviews have on a product page. The results showed visitor traffic increases of 8% and a 22% lift in conversion rates, “thanks to enhanced organic placement and brand perception.”
In its press release, Stackline also shared data on brand loyalty. Citing its Shopper OS platform that aligns first-party data into a comprehensive view of the omnichannel shopper, it found that retention rates have plummeted, with only 12% of brands successfully retaining their shoppers annually.
The importance of product reviews comes as no surprise to merchants, and the government has been increasingly cracking down on sellers who allegedly manipulate reviews, such as an action it took against an Amazon seller in February.
Merchants find themselves struggling with the challenge of getting customers to leave positive product reviews while not crossing any lines that draw regulatory scrutiny.
