<\/p>\n
For many retailers, getting customer reviews is a way to turn the tide and increase conversions (i.e. purchases) on your site.<\/p>\n
Did you know only 17% of customers are actively browsing with the intent to purchase? Some customers aren\u2019t ready to buy, and instead are:<\/p>\n
- \n
- Browsing for a gift<\/li>\n
- Adding something to a wish list<\/li>\n
- Researching prices and options<\/li>\n
- Window shopping out of pleasure or boredom<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
In many cases though, the customer simply doesn\u2019t trust you. They do trust the social proof you can provide via customer reviews though.
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\nContents<\/p>\n
- \n
- Customer Trust is Critical in eCommerce<\/a><\/li>\n
- The Benefits of Customer Reviews in eCommerce<\/a><\/li>\n
- How To Ask Customers For a Review<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n
Customer Trust is Critical in eCommerce<\/h2>\n
More than likely, you can recall a recent purchase or a trip to a new restaurant where you checked reviews online before making a decision. That\u2019s how today\u2019s consumers shop. They\u2019re looking for proof that a business, and its products, meet the needs of the customer.<\/p>\n
Establishing trust lets you overcome one of the greatest barriers that prevents customers from buying from you. Without trust you\u2019ll find it incredibly difficult to compete in eCommerce.<\/p>\n
Trust in business (as well as media and government) have fallen to record lows<\/a>. Consumers are wary of brand messaging and are far less likely to believe the hype and promises made by retailers and manufacturers.<\/p>\n
As an online retailer<\/a>, you face a real challenge since consumers never set foot in a store, never handle the product, and never see you in person. They\u2019re sending a payment out in good faith to someone, somewhere, with the expectation that their products will arrive as promised.<\/p>\n
For the longest time, people relied on referrals and recommendations from people they knew and trust. This is still the case; 83% of consumers place the greatest trust in people they know who have used or purchased the same product already.<\/p>\n
eCommerce has expanded shopping to a global level, making it harder to find people we know who have purchased the same goods online.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s why more than 60% of consumers trust the reviews of strangers while shopping online.<\/p>\n
The Benefits of Customer Reviews in eCommerce<\/h2>\n
Simply put, reviews lead to an increase in revenue. That happens as a result of trust and social proof.<\/p>\n
Potential customers may not trust the word of an individual stranger, but when a lot of people say a product is amazing, then it\u2019s perceived as amazing.<\/p>\n
Likewise, if dozens of people (or more) say a product is inferior, then consumers will tend to trust the group consensus.<\/p>\n
What is Social Proof?<\/h3>\n
Social proof is based on the idea of normative social influence; the idea that people conform in order to be liked, accepted by, or similar to a group.<\/p>\n
According to Robert Cialdini, who detailed his studies of the principle of social proof in his book, Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion<\/a>, \u201cWe view a behavior as more correct in a given situation to the degree that we see others performing it.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Essentially, when we\u2019re uncertain of what to do, we look to the people around us to make a more informed decision.<\/p>\n
This theory is backed by several studies, like the Solomon Asch Conformity Experiment<\/a>, which shows people are more likely to conform to the choice of the majority, even if the decision is clearly wrong.<\/p>\n
With customer reviews, you\u2019re borrowing the persuasion of your audience in order to build trust with new customers, ultimately making them feel comfortable enough to make a purchase.<\/p>\n
But are reviews really effective?<\/p>\n
Reviews Build Repeat Orders<\/h3>\n
Repeat orders make up 35% of Owen & Fred\u2019s revenue<\/a>, which is a level of customer retention many brands dream of. Because they invest so heavily in a customer-centric business model, their customers need no prompting to share their amazing experience.<\/p>\n
![\"customers](\"https:\/\/f.hubspotusercontent30.net\/hubfs\/3469233\/Website%20Assets\/Blog\/Screenshot_2019-04-02_at_14.37.11-730x330-tinified.jpg\")
<\/p>\nCaption: Owen & Fred sells men\u2019s duffel and weekend bags<\/a>. Their customer experience has turned their customers into evangelists.<\/p>\n
One compliment from a customer read: \u201cnever purchased from a company that actually delivered a product that amazing.\u201d<\/p>\n
Reviews Improve Organic Search Visibility<\/h3>\n
Google uses hundreds of ranking factors to determine where sites appear in its search results, and one of those factors are customer testimonials. A BigCommerce study revealed how 30,000 eCommerce brands were tested to see how customer reviews impacted search rank.<\/p>\n
Over the course of a nine-month study, researchers found that retailers prominently featuring customer reviews saw a 45% increase in organic traffic on average<\/a>.<\/p>\n
Reviews Generate Business Growth<\/h3>\n
Every retailer wants to grow and expand their business. Leveraging customer reviews is one of the best ways to do that. One Harvard Business School study found that a one-star increase in your Yelp rating can lead to a 5-9% growth in sales for all types of business<\/a>, regardless of niche.<\/p>\n
Reviews Influence Purchase Decisions and Make Consumers Spend More<\/h3>\n
Consumer purchase decisions are heavily influenced by online reviews. 53% of 18-29 year old consumers read product reviews before making a purchase<\/a>, and 40% of consumers will decide to make a purchase after only reading 1 \u2013 3 online reviews.<\/p>\n
Customers spend up to 31% more while shopping with a brand that has excellent reviews<\/a>. Especially when those reviews directly relate to the product of interest. Likewise, for every star a business gets, there will be approximately a 5 \u2013 9% increase in business revenue<\/a>.<\/p>\n
Reviews Improve Product Conversions Online<\/h3>\n
The simple act of having reviews featured prominently on your product pages can boost conversion rates, and the more reviews you have, the greater the chance of increasing your conversion rate.<\/p>\n
According to data shared by Adweek<\/a>:<\/p>\n
- \n
- Just one review can boost conversions by 10 percent<\/li>\n
- At 100 reviews, your conversion rate could be boosted by as much as 37 percent<\/li>\n
- At 200 reviews, this rate could rise by a shocking 44 percent<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
How To Ask Customers For a Review<\/h2>\n
To make the most of reviews, you want to have as many of them as possible, whether they\u2019re good, average, and even negative. But it\u2019s not always easy to get customers to leave reviews. Unless there\u2019s something to motivate them to take action, you\u2019ll probably only see reviews from customers who were really blown away by your product or service.<\/p>\n
For that reason, you have to learn how to ask customers for a review.<\/p>\n
There\u2019s no special way to phrase it and you don\u2019t need flowery words. Just speak from the voice of your brand and ask for a review.<\/p>\n
And you\u2019re not limited in how you can ask for that review. To ensure you connect with the largest audience of customers, you\u2019ll want to ask for reviews using a multi-channel strategy.<\/p>\n
Follow Up Emails<\/h3>\n
One of the best times to ask for a review is shortly after the sale. By doing this, you can harness post-purchase momentum, when the interaction with your brand and the product is still fresh in your customers’ mind.<\/p>\n
Most retailers already use automated email responders to trigger order confirmations. You can use email marketing solutions like Mailchimp or Klaviyo to add a follow-up email timed shortly after the product should arrive to your average customer.<\/p>\n
Make sure it\u2019s personalized to the customer and their purchase. This is a great opportunity to ask them to provide feedback on their experience. Give them the option to respond to you directly as well as leave a customer review.<\/p>\n
Feature Your Customers<\/h3>\n
Building relationships with customers can go a long way toward developing social proof, building a community of loyal brand advocates, and generating more in-depth reviews. Aside from having standard product reviews on your site and brand reviews on social media, make a section of your site featuring your customers.<\/p>\n
Customers are tired of sales pitches and brand messages, so serve them the voice of their peers with user generated content. Take some time each month to feature one or more of your customers.<\/p>\n
Socialphotos<\/a> is a great example of an app that curates customer generated content. Using Instagram, the Shopify<\/a> plugin will pull photos of your customers using your products and put them in a gallery.<\/p>\n
\u201cUser-generated content lets you shine a spotlight on your customers\u2019 good experiences with your brand<\/a>, which then piques shoppers\u2019 interest and influences their behavior throughout the buyer journey,\u201d says Neil Patel, expert marketer and co-founder of Kissmetrics and Quick Sprout.<\/p>\n
When you feature customers, ask them to tell a success story revolving around your brand or product. You can also provide them with interview-style questions they can answer about themselves.<\/p>\n
Brands have been using user generated content for years. The fashion industry is well known for using customer photos on Instagram and other visual platforms<\/a>.<\/p>\n
Take this to the next level with customer success stories.<\/p>\n
Ask For Reviews on Social Media<\/h3>\n
You\u2019re already engaging with your customers and followers on social media. Use that platform to encourage customers to leave you a review. While a dedicated post prompting followers to post a review may feel \u201cdesperate\u201d, it\u2019s anything but.<\/p>\n
If you\u2019re struggling to come right out and ask, then do it as part of another post. Share customer images, put up a product collage of a recent launch or a top-selling product, or share a success story.<\/p>\n
As part of the post, ask customers if they\u2019ve had a chance to review their latest purchase.<\/p>\n
- The Benefits of Customer Reviews in eCommerce<\/a><\/li>\n
- Customer Trust is Critical in eCommerce<\/a><\/li>\n