New You Review

Want to sell more stuff? Let your customers have their say. Not to you – to each other. According to the Social Shopping Study 2007 (by the Etailing Group for PowerReviews), 70 percent of online shoppers said customer reviews were very important, and 75 percent said they were better than an in-store conversation with a knowledgeable sales associate (!), probably because customers don’t make a commission. And reviews aren’t just for electronics or big ticket purchases: according to AdWeek, more than half — 55 percent — want reviews of gifts, too.

Just avoid the temptation to stack the deck with positive reviews or delete the negatives: users can tell the difference, and there’s no faster way to lose their trust. Consider a star rating system to sum up the consensus at a glance and get the participation of users who don’t have time to compose an essay. And don’t forget to check the reviews yourself when planning your reorders. (Though as always, don’t forget the silent majority — sales figures speak louder than words.)