Contrary to popular belief: British shoppers would prefer to praise, not moan
Let’s face it: we’re a nation of moaners. British people are well known for enjoying a good rant; some enjoy ‘making a scene’ in public, others prefer to hide behind their laptop and test customer services teams’ patience. Retailers can experience this first-hand, and woe betide a business on the receiving end of a customer who has had a bad experience.
Let’s face it: we’re a nation of moaners. British people are well known for enjoying a good rant; some enjoy ‘making a scene’ in public, others prefer to hide behind their laptop and test customer services teams’ patience. Retailers can experience this first-hand, and woe betide a business on the receiving end of a customer who has had a bad experience.
This has led many retailers to fear collecting reviews, assuming that British shoppers are much more likely to rant and rave, than leave a positive testimonial. However, new research from Feefo indicates that may not be the case.
In their latest report: ‘Online Reviews: The Consumers’ Perspective’, 71% of shoppers revealed they would be most likely to leave a review after a positive experience, while only 52% said the same of a negative one.
Good news for retailers, but is it still worth it? Just what are the benefits of collecting feedback? And how much does it matter if you get hit by a dreaded one-star review?
Reviews have an impact online and offline
Feefo’s findings show that reviews are paramount in helping customers make purchasing decisions. Almost three-quarters of shoppers (74%) are influenced by them to at least some extent; only 5% say reviews have no influence on them at all. The majority of consumers rely on other shoppers’ opinions when deciding to make a purchase, so if they can’t see any reviews or they don’t trust they are genuine, they may decide to shop elsewhere.
Reviews aren’t just used by online shoppers either; 73% of consumers say they check online feedback whilst in-store, a figure which rises to 89% for millennials. Modern consumers now have access to a wealth of information online, so purchases are often thought-out and well-researched, depending on the product. Reviews are a simple way to check if that the brand is saying about the product is true – they build trust.
Finding the positives in a negative review
While shoppers prefer to leave reviews following a positive experience, not every piece of feedback will be complimentary. However, it’s important for retailers to take the good from the bad so they can learn where the weaknesses are within their business, and improve.
Negative reviews are vital for consumers, too. More than eight in ten (81%) say they read several negative reviews to judge the consistency of a businesses’ feedback, and 54% would be suspicious if they couldn’t find any. This is likely because three-quarters of shoppers are worried about fake reviews. The presence of negative reviews helps to reassure customers the feedback they are reading is real.
The bottom line: the benefits of reviews make collecting them a no brainer. What’s more, Feefo’s research reveals that businesses needn’t fear the occasional negative review, either.
Encourage your customers to leave reviews
Asking your customers to leave a review benefits fellow consumers, builds trust and could result in higher conversion rates, both online and in-store.
Collecting reviews needn’t be difficult, either. Almost a quarter (24%) of shoppers leave feedback ‘most of the time’, and 28% claim they are more likely to write a review when they have been asked. Simply sending an invitation out is the first step, but make sure the message is personalised and includes details of the product or service bought, so customers know what they are being asked to review. The time of day a customer receives a request can make all the difference too – try split testing different times to see which gets the highest response rate.
You should also ensure there’s nothing putting customers off from leaving a review. 67% of consumers would not leave a review if the process was too lengthy and 14% would be put off if they are unsure the company will respond.
Key takeaways
- UK consumers are more likely to leave a review following a positive experience rather than a negative one
- 74% of shoppers are influenced by reviews to some extent
- 89% of millennials read online reviews when shopping in-store
- The presence of negative reviews can help build trust
- A lengthy process can put consumers off leaving reviews
If you want to find out more about Feefo’s consumer research, you can download the full report. Alternatively, send them an email or give them a call on 0203 553 9407, to start collecting consumer reviews today.
