Studies conducted in 2014 by the online service provider, BrightLocal, showed that 9 out of 10 online consumers read reviews and ratings on websites, and 88% of them trust the ratings. The added value for users is clear: Customers and website visitors often gain important information through ratings and can read other user’s experiences before investing in a product, service, or company. Since it’s not possible to take a closer look at products online, these ratings and reviews fill information gaps. Online shopping is convenient, practical, and fast, but nonetheless there’s a distance between the provider and the customer. For this reason, potential customers are often unsure about the quality and benefits of online offers.
However, if a website contains ratings or a comment box, this can help to close the distance between the provider and the customer: the direct contact between yourself and your customers can help to ease their uncertainty. Customers can then use the feedback to help each other decide whether to go ahead with the purchase by providing information on the function, range, and value of a product. Website ratings or comments on non-commercial content are also helpful for you as a webmaster. This is because you’re enabling customers to leave comments, which shows that you take the wishes of your customers or visitors seriously and this creates trust. In addition, visitors have the option of interacting with your site if you allow comments on offers or content, just like if you offer informative articles, apps, or products through a store.
You also obtain important feedback from the ratings on your website: do the products meet the customer’s expectations? Is the content appealing, and does it offer added value? Information like this is important so that you can continuously optimize your website and what you’re offering.