Why Customer Reviews Are Make or Break During the Holidays

With the number of online shoppers destined to reach all-time highs this holiday shopping season, the role of ratings and review platforms is more vital than ever. The good news for retailers is that spending during the 2020 holiday shopping season is expected to be around the pre-pandemic levels of last year’s holiday season. Although competition will be fierce, retailers capable of providing personalized shopping experiences can still crush their sales goals.

Maximizing the potential of the holiday season is truly begins with customer ratings and reviews.

Here’s why: 

Amplify the Voice of Customers

Even though you’ve spent tireless hours perfecting your marketing strategy, the truth of the matter is that the opinions of other shoppers are more influential than brand messaging. Ratings and review platforms help your customers to serve as brand advocates, with authentic experiences and stories to share about your product.  

Let’s say you’re on the search for a new pair of running shoes and your choices are between two brands that just recently hit the market. They both have an amazing selection to choose from, and you’re having a tough time making a decision until you see a laundry list of product reviews with details about fit, shipping, and lots of other answers to questions you didn’t even know you had on one of the brand’s websites.  

Suddenly, your choice just became a lot easier. By prioritizing the voice of customers, retailers allow customers to help other customers get the facts they need in order to feel confident in their purchase. 

Understand and Exceed Customer Expectations

It’s hard to provide a good customer experience without having a good idea of what customers are expecting in the first place. Ratings and review platforms will play a pivotal role this holiday season when it comes to providing the shopping experience customers are seeking primarily because of the impact social proof has on buying decisions. Remember, a picture is worth a thousand words.  

That saying holds even more value during the Covid era. Studies show featuring an image from social media makes buyers up to 6x more likely to buy a product. Not only do photos provide an opportunity to boost sales, they also pose an opportunity to ensure customers leave your shop feeling good about their purchase.

Helping customers make buying decisions that are well-informed is one of the main elements to providing a great customer experience. 

Informing Smart Buying Decisions 

Reducing return rates are a year-round challenge for retailers. During the holidays, its even more of a priority to make sure customers get what they’re looking for without a hitch. Ratings and review platforms are one of the best ways to provide customers with the proper expectation of your product.  

Encouraging product reviews from your customers is the ideal way for them to get an accurate representation of what to expect from your product. For example, have you ever watched a commercial on TV from a restaurant where a meal looks incredible only for it to look the exact opposite in person? 

That feeling of buyer’s remorse probably made you want to avoid returning to that restaurant. When you don’t provide the proper tools to make an informed buying decision, you run the risk of losing a potential return customer. Worse than that, it can making attract new customers that much harder. 

Introducing Your Brand to New Customers 

One of the aspects of the holiday shopping season that makes this time of year so exciting is the prospect of earning new lifelong customers. 

One of the worst mistakes retailers can make along the customer acquisition journey this holiday season is overlooking the importance of ratings and reviews.  Studies have shown that product pages with at least five reviews increase conversion rates by up to 270% compared to the same product with no reviews.  

Retailers still wary of the impact of ratings and reviews platforms are welcome to schedule a demo to learn more about the impact they can have. Although ratings and reviews are a must-have for the holidays, they’re still a main element to standing out apart from your competition year-round.