Once consumers decide which product or service to use, how do they make that choice? Advertising certainly has a say in this decision, but it is not enough to define similar products and services in the offer.
Therefore, the experience and online reviews that consumers have with the brand are more relevant than ever. These online reviews are important for finding out important questions about certain products. So are the experiences of consumers who can detail what they went through using a certain product.
What is a review?
A satisfied customer is the most effective advertisement a company can get. Customers can recommend you or on the contrary, they can put you in trouble, so your business depends on what customers say about you.
In the digital age, customer opinions are included in online reviews, and your ability to manage them can make the difference between the success or failure of your business.
The Internet has completely changed consumer behavior. If in the past they went to the physical store to see the product they wanted to buy, now more and more people make the purchase decision based on the information found on the Internet about that product.
A GFK study shows that in 2018 more than half of the urban Internet users used the Internet to find out more about the products they want to buy. Consumers read manufacturers’ product descriptions, but this is no longer enough. For them, it is important to find other consumers’ reviews and read their opinions regarding the respective products, and the mobile phone is the main tool used for searching the internet, accessing sites, and purchasing products.
Another study showed that in 2018, 86% of consumers read online reviews of a product before making a purchase decision and 91% said they trusted reviews posted on the internet. In this context, online product reviews become extremely important, directly influencing the decision to buy a product.
Here’s how online reviews influence consumer behavior:
- Customer reviews are more reliable than the product description from the manufacturer
- Positive reviews increase sales of a product.
- Positive reviews increase consumer confidence
- The lack of negative reviews can generate suspicions
- Responses to negative customer reviews can increase customer trust and loyalty
What does an online experience mean?
The analysis of the consumer experience is one of the steps that will help you to retain existing customers and attract new ones, through a system of recommendations. Consumers are very receptive to recommendations made by friends and acquaintances, they are even willing to make recommendations.
Consumers are better informed than ever, with the help of smartphones they have access at any time to any type of brand information. They base their purchasing decision on personal preferences and recommendations. Thus, consumers dictate the type of experience they want. They expect brands to know their preferences and needs, to customize their experience down to the smallest detail.