How User Reviews Improve Sales in Online Store

Imagine this: you walk into a store and see two very similar mobile phones.

You have no idea which one to choose. Then you notice that the first phone has a sheet attached with various customer reviews, while the second one has none.

Which one would you choose?

We bet on the one with reviews and ratings, right?

Customer reviews build trust and answer those silent questions we have in our heads.

• Someone says the phone takes excellent photos. Is that important to you?

• Do you prefer the review that states the phone is quickly responsive?

• If someone mentions the phone is too big to fit in a pocket, and you always carry yours in a pocket, that's also very useful information.

Besides credibility, reviews also increase your product's visibility online. More reviews - more chances for your product to appear in Google search results.

This means more clicks, more visitors, and of course - more sales.

Don’t be afraid of criticism either - take it positively. Use it to improve your offerings and let other customers know that you can resolve any issues.

How to encourage customers to leave a review upon purchase?

▶ Simplify the review submission process as much as possible.

▶ After the customer receives the product, wait a few days, then send them an email with a thank you note and an invitation to write a review.

▶ Motivate the customer with a reward: offer a discount, bonus points, free shipping, or some other “candies” to encourage them to leave a review.

▶ Send a reminder. If the customer hasn't responded to the first message, send another one later - they might have overlooked the first one or simply forgotten about it.

▶ Highlight reviews on your website. When other customers see that leaving a review is no big deal, they will also be more inclined to share their experiences.

▶ Send a thank you message when a customer leaves a review.

▶ Automate the process so that thank you notes and review requests are sent automatically.

The question now is - do you collect customer reviews and ratings?
And if not, why not? Need a hand?