The Influence of Reviews in Consumer Purchase Decisions

A new study by the e-tailing group, sponsored by PowerReviews is out. In it, we find new proof of the strong relationship between shoppers and reviews.

As you can see from the image on the left, 92% of internet users read product reviews and 89% of people say that reviews influence their purchasing decision.

It also appears that the amount of time people spend reading reviews has increased since 2007.

• 64% of shoppers took 10 minutes or more to read reviews, vs. 50% in 2007.
• 33% took a half hour or more to read reviews, vs. 18% in 2007.
• 39% read eight or more reviews before buying, vs. 22% in 2007.
• 12% read 16 or more reviews before buying, vs. 5% in 2007.

Hoteliers – If you’re not actively reading your online reviews, you’re missing a huge opportunity to learn what is being said about you that might be influencing others’ purchase decisions. If you’re not responding to reviews on TripAdvisor, Expedia and Hotels.com you’re missing a huge opportunity to get your message in front of prospects. If you need help getting started with an online review program, take a look at our Social Media Action Plan.

Read more about the report at e-marketer.