“I am planning to buy this phone. What do you think?”
“Check the reviews! Are they good?”
“Yes, 4.5 stars out of 5.”
“Then buy it.”
This is how a conversation usually goes between two people who are discussing an online purchase. Most people who buy things online first look at the reviews and then make a decision. This is only one of the reasons why you should focus on ratings and reviews for e-commerce.
Image Source: Pixabay
Reasons Why Your E-Commerce Website Needs Ratings and Reviews
1. To Inspire Trust Among Your Customers
A buyer trusts another buyer more than trusting the seller. Good reviews can help your customers feel confident. Beware, if a product only has good reviews, people might get suspicious and think of them as fake. Negative reviews are also important. Always opt for ‘verified reviews’.
2. To Boost Marketing Efforts
Word-of-mouth has been a time-tested marketing strategy that always works. When people vouch for a product, others will not hesitate to buy it. Reviews and ratings are a great marketing tool, especially because people cannot see, feel or try the product before buying.
3. For Fine-Tuning of Strategy
Your customers can tell you where you are going wrong. Reviews are their medium of communication. You can alter your strategy depending on what the customers want. Reviews are essential to improve overall customer satisfaction.
4. To Improve Online Visibility & SEO
One of the most important places where you need to be reviewed is Google. Google reviews can improve search rankings and aid in Search Engine Optimisation (SEO). Reviews make your business more discoverable as they contain ‘keywords’ a potential buyer is searching for.
5. For Better Conversion Rates
Research has found that displaying reviews can increase the conversion rates by a whopping 270%! When you inspire trust among your buyers, they will not hesitate before making a purchase.
Some Numbers Talk
Top Tools for Ratings and Reviews
A. TrustPilot
Using this popular tool, you can send emails and invite reviews. These can be then sent to Google.
B. Reevo
A high-end review tool it runs on-site. It can be set up for all your product pages and allows your customers to ‘filter’ and ask a question.
C. Yotpo
Yotpo is an advanced user-generated content tool for customer reviews, referrals, visual marketing and more. You can do many things with one tool.
D. Baazarvoice
Baazarvoice has an application that allows you to collect reviews from your customers, making it easy. They can also ask questions through this tool.how-can-they-help-your-business/
E. Feefo
With a simple setup process, Feefo allows you to customise the review layout on the pages of your e-commerce website. It also lets you send out emails to your customers to invite reviews and integrate API for social media platforms.
How to Encourage Reviews from Your Customers?
- Offer rewards as this will encourage more reviews and ultimately, more sales.
- Make it easy to review. The best way is to make the review tab available right next to the product.
- Send gentle and friendly review reminders through email, SMS and app notifications.
- Approach influencers and ask them to review your products.
Dealing With Negative Reviews
82% of shoppers specifically seek out negative reviews, which is why it is important to focus on how to turn negative feedback into a growth potion for your company. Interaction with these negative reviews can boost the conversion rate by 67%.
Dos:
- Always reply. If you are wrong, admit your mistake and offer a resolution. If you right, politely explain the situation and highlight your strengths.
- Be real and don’t talk in a complicated language.
- Reply promptly and consistently.
Don’ts:
- Never delete a review or ignore it.
- Don’t be rude in your replies.
A Quick Glimpse at What Reviews Can Do & How You Can Go About It
What to Do
- Encourage ratings and reviews.
- Learn from negative feedback.
- Understand the importance of user-generated content.
- Reach out and reward your customers.
- Strategic placement of reviews.
- Make maximum use of word-of-mouth for your digital marketing efforts.
- Never buy fake reviews. Opt for ‘verified reviews’.
What You Get
- Higher conversion rates.
- More customers.
- Better online visibility.
- Higher reach.
- Better brand value.
“If you do build a great experience, customers tell each other about that. Word of mouth is very powerful,” Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon believes. Harness the power of reviews for your e-commerce store. There are a hundred reasons to prioritise reviewing and zero to avoid doing so. Let your customers guide your path to success through reviews and ratings.
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