“Good reviews bring good sales.” That’s the simple principle in eCommerce. If products receive positive reviews, their sales increase by 30 percent. This means that reviews can be important sales drivers.
Table of contents
Product reviews in the buying process
1.1 Rating systems are the door opener for new customers
1.2 Reviews provide valuable detailed information
1.3 Reviews influence the purchase decision
1.4 The more reviews, the more sales
How companies respond to customer reviews professionally
How Google responds to customer reviews
Over the years, online shoppers have learned to scrutinise sellers before they check out with a full shopping cart. The larger the selection of sellers, the more important reliable delivery times, product quality, shipping costs and services are – these factors are reflected in customer reviews.
Product reviews in the buying process
Rating systems are the door opener for new customers
According to onlinemarketing.de, 63% of buyers prefer to shop in online shops with customer rating systems. This is a core statement in eCommerce! Online shops without rating systems have higher bounce rates. Customers look for trustworthy sellers and appreciate transparency. If they do not find this, they quickly leave again.
Ratings provide valuable detailed information
When prospective buyers click through the offer, reviews by other buyers often prove to be a real treasure trove for detailed questions. Individual features and special application scenarios are described and evaluated in detail by customers. In this way, buyers support each other in finding the best product for them. But there are also advantages for the supplier: The product descriptions are presented in a depth and versatility that the supplier alone could not reproduce. In addition, the seller can derive the customer’s wishes and adapt his product range.
Ratings influence the purchase decision
Customers rely on the reviews of other buyers. This can lead to buyers deciding in favour of an item they did not originally have on their shortlist. Or they may decide against it. If a product was rated positively by the majority, almost two-thirds of new buyers adopted the positive basic attitude. This is what statistical surveys have shown.
The more ratings, the more sales
The behaviour of the number of ratings directly influences the number of sales. According to this, one review generates 10% higher sales, 50 reviews 30% higher sales and 150 reviews even a 41% higher sales rate. The request for a customer review after a purchase should therefore be a standard part of every sales process.
How companies respond to customer reviews professionally
Whether it’s a trip, a computer purchase or an item of clothing that has been rated by a customer – in each case, the seller can positively influence the likelihood of a sale through their response behaviour.
With these 3 principles, you will always respond correctly:
Respond to reviews in a friendly and factual manner
Speed – if you respond quickly, the customer will recognise that people are actually interested in the online shop
Personal statements – avoid general phrases, respond directly to the customer’s argumentation
How Google responds to customer reviews
Google wants to offer searchers the most valuable information possible about a search term. Suppliers with rating systems score points in several ways: Google rewards the seller with a better SEO ranking, because the search engine recognises a higher added value for prospective customers. Secondly, new content is always published on the shop pages through new reviews. And Google loves fresh content. So there’s the ranking bonus here too.
