Luis Casillas
How do negative reviews harm the online shopping journey?
In today's digital world, a consumer's purchasing journey for a product often begins with online research. Consumers have access to various sources of reviews, such as price comparison sites, social networks, and testimonials from other consumers.
These reviews play a very important role in decision making as they provide information about product quality, customer service, and brand reputation. However, not all reviews are authentic.
The expansion of ecommerce, despite all the facilities, has also brought with it an increase in fraud and fake reviews. These fake negative reviews can have a significant impact on brands' reputations and harm consumers' purchasing journeys. Understand better how fraud can harm the journey of purchasing products online.
The importance of reviews in the purchasing journey
Before making an online purchase, consumers generally research the product and brand. They rely on reviews from other consumers for information about product quality, shopping experience, and customer service. Positive reviews provide consumers with confidence and peace of mind, while negative reviews can make them question the brand's credibility.
A brand's reputation is built over time, based on customer satisfaction. If a potential consumer finds several negative reviews about a product or brand, they are likely to abandon the purchase and look for a more reliable alternative.
Discover the benefits of evaluating ecommerce for the online purchasing journey:
1. Trust and credibility
Reviews help build credibility and trust in the minds of consumers. Seeing that other people have already purchased and had a positive experience with the product, consumers feel more confident in making the purchase. Reviews also help convey the idea that the product is of quality and meets customer expectations.
2. Detailed information
Reviews provide detailed information about the product, which is often not available in the description provided by the seller. Consumers can find information about quality, durability, size, functionality and more. This information is valuable to consumers as it helps them make decisions and reduces the risk of purchasing a product that does not meet their expectations.
3. Comparison between products
Reviews also allow consumers to compare different products before making a purchasing decision. They can see reviews and ratings of several similar products and make a choice based on the opinions of other consumers. This saves time and effort searching for information about each product individually.
4. Feedback to seller
Reviews also provide valuable feedback to sellers. They can see what consumers liked and didn't like about the product and use this information to improve the quality of the product or service offered. Additionally, sellers can use positive reviews as a marketing tool to attract new customers.
5. Influence on purchasing decisions
Reviews have a significant impact on consumers' purchasing decisions. Studies show that most consumers take reviews into consideration when deciding to purchase a product. Positive reviews can lead to an increase in sales, while negative reviews can lead consumers to look for an alternative.
The impact of fake negative reviews
Just like positive reviews, fake negative reviews can have an even more significant impact on brands' reputations and consumers' purchasing journeys. In addition to affecting consumer confidence, these reviews can lead to a decrease in sales and revenue. A survey carried out by Octadesk and Opinion Box, entitled CX Trends, revealed that 65% of consumers give up on purchases due to a bad experience.
Additionally, fake negative reviews can harm your brand image in the long run. Consumers may associate the brand with a negative experience and share their bad experiences with friends, family and on social media. This can lead to a ripple effect and further damage the brand’s reputation.
Companies Hurt by Fake Negative Reviews
Many companies have suffered from fake negative reviews that damaged their reputation and affected their purchasing journey. A striking example is the case of the online retail company Amazon. In 2018, the company faced an increase in fake negative reviews on its products. These fake reviews have deeply damaged consumer trust and led to a drop in sales.
Another example is the case of the electronics company Samsung. In 2019, the company was the target of a campaign of false negative reviews that alleged security issues with its devices. These fake reviews damaged the brand's reputation and led to reduced sales.
Scams in the form of fake negative reviews can completely disrupt the online product purchasing journey. These reviews interfere with consumer trust and can lead to a decrease in sales and brand reputation.
How to protect yourself from fake reviews?
It is important for companies to be proactive in identifying and combating fake reviews, ensuring the authenticity and reliability of the reviews available to consumers. Investing in fraud detection systems and reputation management strategies, such as ClearSale's Brand Protection, is essential to protecting consumers' purchasing journeys and maintaining trust in the brand.
Learn more about Brand Protection and how it can protect your business from fake reviews and other fraud by scheduling a demo.