Because we’re so delighted by the news (the release of our recent Magento extension in case you didn’t know) we thought it only right to take another look at the benefits regular and reliable customer feedback can have for your eComm site.
How can customer ratings and reviews drive a better online experience for your business?
While the volume of consumers who rely on feedback to inform their shopping decisions remains remarkably high, there are indications that we could be reaching a turning point. With increasing signs of a growing distrust around how reliable user-generated content really is, do online ratings and reviews still hold the value they once did?
Outlandish pranks like the notorious Shed at Dulwich have shown the inherent weaknesses in the system – perhaps it’s time to reconsider whether the way we collect online reviews is up to scratch?
To trust or not to trust: a modern-day challenge
“Authentic social proof is still one of the most valuable influencers for anyone looking to build trust with their audience. Customers have to be able to trust what they see, which until now, has been a real challenge for businesses.”
Mary Hubbard, Head of Online, TruRating
One of the key issues for many of the reviews and ratings we find online is that there’s simply no way for the everyday consumer to validate where these reviews come from. While a dozen one-word, 5-star reviews left minutes apart from each other are likely to raise an eyebrow, how do you know that the passionate one-star drubbing you just snorted through wasn’t simply from a disgruntled competitor?
The other end of the spectrum: the customer review drought
On the flip side, we have another problem – how do you encourage genuine customers to leave feedback? Every single transaction should be viewed as an opportunity to learn more about your business, but the world is a busy place – how often have you received an email asking for feedback and simply trashed it or moved on? Or worst, what if the feedback you’re working so hard to collect is actually misinformation. Just another bored customer doing the bare minimum to earn a reward you can’t really afford to give away.
Building your brand name without annoying customers
As you build out a brand that people are aware of and trust, it’s easier to get a read of whether reviews look suspicious or not. But for the independent seller who’s just starting out, consumer buy-in and trust is important for basic survival. Beyond that, to improve and optimize your experience as you go, you need to know if you can trust the feedback that comes back immediately.
The TruRating difference
We ask customers to provide a single quick rating at payment confirmation. Additional feedback is an option, but neither rating nor review is obligatory.
The benefit of our solution comes from its simplicity
- When you don’t make it an issue, customers are happy to feedback – 50% plus – not too shabby Sherlock
- TruRating drives Findability and boosts your SEO – if you have an ‘offline store’ (as we millennials like to call it) – even better – every rating drives traffic to your site.
- Validated customer reviews every day – what’s not to like?
To learn more about how TruRating can help your business, visit http://www.trurating.com/business.
And that’s a wrap folks.
Dan Frank
