Just one negative review among many glowing ones has the potential to do some damage. In an analysis of 68,000+ product page visits of a large online retailer, researches found that:
- Consumers are 41.8% less likely to buy a product if the first reviews shown included a negative review, at which point they’re 9.7% more likely to browse for alternatives.
- Each negative review consumers saw made them 26.87% less likely to buy.
- The negative effect became stronger when the product’s average rating was high, the negative review addressed the product’s functionality or the company’s customer service, or when the product was utilitarian in nature.
The takeaway: Make sure a negative review isn’t among the first that consumers see; sort by most relevant, not most recent, for example. Of course, you’ll want to address negative reviews and improve your standard of quality and service, too.
Read the full scope at Ariyh.
