Several studies prove that consumer product reviews actually tend to boost, rather than hurt sales, according to e-Marketer. In fact, 55% of buyers rely on them for online and offline purchases.
The article also points out, “Getting online shoppers to convert to buyers, whether online or offline, requires trust-building tactics such as easy site navigation, good search tools and complete product information.” That would be a blinding flash of the obvious but it’s still a foreign concept to many companies.
So why are companies so scared of consumers? Why do so many view consumer review sites, social networks, blogs, and other online communities as a threat?
The fact is, communities are user-regulated. When one person sets out to discredit another person or a company unfairly, the community evens out the issue with a variety of opinions.
Negative feedback is often a sign that something needs to change. Assuming they’re starting with a good product, the companies that benefit the most from listening are also the ones that gain the most in traffic, influence and sales.
Why is that so hard for so many companies to accept?
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