4 Reasons why reviews are essential for your eCommerce business

Guest blog from Alan Duncan, of Trustpilot and speaker at our upcoming eCommerce MasterPlan Virtual Summit Register now for your free ticket

Reviews serve as a guide to consumers during the online journey and decision making process. Customer feedback helps shoppers make smarter choices, and eCommerce businesses stand out from the competition.

According to Vendasta, 92% of consumers read reviews online, making user-generated content the most popular method of recommendation today.

The winners in business aren’t always the ones with the lowest prices or the biggest range of products. The winners are trusted companies who listen to their customers’ needs and offer an exceptional customer experience and customer service every single time. And that’s why it’s become essential for eCommerce companies to choose and implement the best digital strategy to achieve this.

Used the right way, reviews can be the best marketing strategy you’ve ever put in practice.

Keep on reading to find out why reviews are good for eCommerce, how your business can benefit from them, and how important customer feedback is in today’s competitive landscape.

Becoming a Google star

Online reviews are a great way to create fresh content every day, improve your SEO and build a reputation using your customers’ authentic voice.

Customer reviews help you build credibility in search engine results by appearing through Rich snippet stars and Google Seller Ratings.

Building trust earlier in the customer journey helps your business increase its click-through rate and traffic, and therefore drives more potential buyers to your website.

The higher the credibility, the higher the CTR. So why not give reviews a go and become the Google star you’ve always wanted to be?

Standing out from the competition

Building your online reputation in today’s competitive landscape is far from easy. But how do eCommerce companies get noticed?

Did you know word of mouth is the most popular form of recommendation, and by far the most convincing tool anyone can use to persuade consumers in 2017?

You can use reviews to let your customers do the talking for you.

And to share your customers’ feedback, why not share your reviews directly on-site as well as on your social channels?

Almost half of digital buyers say that reading reviews and feedback on social media influences their buying journey. Pretty impressive, right?

Trust is one of the most valuable asset a company could wish ford. Using reviews as part of your marketing strategy will make your eCommerce company more reputable, and boost your conversion rate when used at key decision-making points.

Driving success with transparency

Today, the average cart abandonment rate is 69.23%. Most consumers abandon their purchase to buy a similar product on another website.

So how can consumers choose you over the competition at a time where they’re doing extensive research?

Online shoppers are looking for proof that you’re the right choice for them, and that’s why online trust is key to help them finalise their decision.

80% of people trust reviews as much as personal recommendations.

Including third-party validation on your website means your visitors have more on-site confidence, and are more likely to trust your business.

Engaging with your customers

It’s becoming more and more important to build close relationships with customers. Today, people are looking to buy from friendly, customer-centric companies.

Although customer relationships are considered a real challenge, online reviews can help you overcome it and turn visitors into loyal customers.

How? Simply by proving that your brand cares about your customers’ feedback, and by replying to reviews and solving your customers’ issues quickly and efficiently.

Did you know that 95% of unhappy customers return if an issue is resolved quickly and efficiently?

Online reviews give you an opportunity to turn negative comments into positive stories, and engage with your customers easily.

Taking a customer-first approach benefits all eCommerce companies. You’ll see your customer acquisition costs decrease considerably, and you’ll improve your bottom line with the help of trusting customers and brand advocates.

Download Trustpilot’s complete guide to reviews for eCommerce managers!

If you’re interested in learning more about reviews and how social proof can improve your marketing performance, download Trustpilot’s guide to reviews!