Today, consumers seem to prefer using the Web to research about a company and its offerings. According to a survey conducted by the Wall Street Journal on consumer behavior in 2009, 92% of its respondents say they had more confidence in information they find online than anything coming from a salesclerk or other source.

1. Online Reviews And
How It Can Contribute
To Your Sales
Online Reviews Page 1

2. Nowadays, an increasing number of people prefer to use the
Internet to discover important information about a company, or
the products it sells. In fact, a poll carried out by the Wall Street
Journal showed that more than 90% of customers trust
information they find on the Internet more than any other
sources. In that same survey, 78% of consumers said that
television ads no longer have enough information they need. In
another study done by Businessweek, it was found that 70% of
consumers consult reviews or ratings before purchasing
anything.
Reviews are available on consumer protection websites, social
networking websites, online forums, product comparison sites,
and other 3rd-party websites made specifically to collect
testimonials from customers and experts. Studies show that
64% prefer reading reviews they found through search engines,
58% on shopping sites, and 47% on the company’s website.
What these researches
fundamentally demonstrate
is that customers show great
preference for consumer-
submitted reviews. It comes
as no surprise that
businesses that have review
systems in place enjoy better sales than those that don’t.
Reviews also encourage consumers to stay longer on the
company’s website. In another study, reviews on the company
website can boost conversion to more than 20%.
Many businesses these days also try to use social networking
websites to gather and share consumer opinion about their
Online Reviews Page 2

3. company and offerings. Interestingly, by using those platforms,
they also increase traffic to their official websites. The good
thing about these platforms is that it makes it easy for people to
share reviews with peers, relatives, and workmates, thereby
amplifying the impact without necessarily requiring cash outlay
on the part of the company.
Many consumers consider a favorable review as something
that has an equal or greater bearing than price and special
offers in terms of their purchasing decisions. This is reflected in
a web-based poll done by Webcredible, a customer experience
firm. The poll showed that 29% of customers consider good
reviews as one of the most crucial variables they consider
when purchasing on the Web. To find more articles about the
online reviews, click here: http://online-review-repair.com
There are a number of strategies you can
employ to motivate consumers to leave
reviews on your website. For one, you can
simply ask them to do so. For example,
you can print the URL of your corporate
website on your receipts, or include this
on any emails you send to your clients.
Using incentives can be an effective way
of enticing customers to review a
company and its offerings as well. This
would include handing out coupons or
giving discounts to customers who submitted a review. Be sure
to reply to the reviews, regardless if these are positive or
negative, in a professional and prompt manner. This will show
that you care about your customer’s experiences and you’re
committed to improving your services.
Online Reviews Page 3