Consumer vs. Expert Reviews

Thanks to the “collective conscious”, it’s no secret that people are making better decisions about their purchases. In a brief survey, 51% were influenced by product reviews and ratings provided by consumers.

In an ongoing survey by Roar Media, 75% of those surveyed strongly prefer consumer reviews, over expert reviews, before making their purchases. Consumers trust peer reviews over expert review critics when making purchases. Companies are shifting their focus and leveraging their testimonials to increase customer satisfaction and retention, all the while improving their products and services to fit consumer needs.

Use and trends of ratings, comments and feedback

What is the shortest word in the English language that contains the letters: abcdef? Feedback. As of 2008 almost half of the adults online read ratings and reviews at least once a month, and 19% post them. Nearly twice as many read reviews compared with 2007. Epinions.com, for example, has built a Web site based solely on consumer insight, unbiased advice and in-depth product evaluations.

All of the prominent ecommerce Web sites empower consumers to leave comments on products recently purchased. A recent consumer survey, by the JC Williams Group, ranked consumer content as the number one aid to buying decisions, as cited by 91% of its respondents.

Companies are more likely to increase customer purchase intent and trial based on customer feedback and reviews. The social Web has given consumers the power to instantly spread their opinions and change the way businesses operate in this customer-driven market.

What Does Roar Media Do?

Roar Media provides strategic counsel to companies looking to exploit these shifts in consumer purchasing behavior. More specifically, Roar Media’s reputation management programensures that company feedback and reviews are positive. We make sure our client’s reputation is protected and secure. To that end, we:

• Monitor and Listen
• Assess the situation: Is the comment right or wrong? Do we intervene and engage or do we ignore and avoid?
• Manage and resolve negative feedback: Address the problem head on in an open forum. Manipulate the search engine results pages (SERPS)

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