Consumer Behavior

Online reviews can impact retailer’s bottom line

Adobe Stock

April 11, 2023

Consumers view online reviews of brands and retailers as a two-way dialogue and want brands to participate. Shoppers also view ChatGPT and the Metaverse as opportunities for retail innovation.

Those are top findings from a Chatmeter survey that polled 1,369 consumers, according to a press release.

Additional findings include:

• Over 89% of respondents use online reviews to evaluate quality, and over 67% see it as an important part of deciding what to buy and want specific details such as pricing, features, options and quality.
• More than 56% of respondents feel reviews need to be posted within the past month to be trusted as relevant; only 6% believe that when a review is posted doesn't matter.
• 25% of respondents want to see more than 20 reviews in the last two-months in order to build trust and have influence; another 20% want to see at least 11 reviews.
• 39% of respondents like the idea of using technology like ChatGPT for review information, and more than 30% of respondents like the idea of brand reviews through an engaging Metaverse experience.
• Almost 13% of respondents use gaming platforms like Roblox or games like Fortnite for reviews, and more than 20% use chat tools.

"Consumers see online reviews as a two-way dialogue. This study reinforces that reviews are a golden opportunity for brands to strengthen their customer relationships," Cynthia Sener, president, go-to-market, Chatmeter, said in the release. "Consumers want to engage and want to do so across a multitude of platforms. It's critical for marketers to arm themselves with technology that can optimize both solicited and unsolicited customer feedback. Consumer preferences and habits are evolving, but the right tools can help translate the data into a direct competitive advantage."