5 ways to use product reviews to drive conversions in ecommerce

Online buyers are getting savvy by the day and rarely do they make a buying decision before they compare items online. Most people shop online not only because it is convenient, but also because they expect prices to be cheaper. Apart from this, shoppers research products and read reviews to determine whether they should buy.

Studies have shown that product reviews can increase eCommerce conversions. One company, OnlineShoes.com experienced a 119% increase in conversions after starting product ratings and reviews. Is this something that you would like for your eCommerce website? We have compiled five ways in which you can use product reviews to spur conversions.

 1. Make Reviews Visible

Customers already know the product they want. What they are looking for is whether the product will work for them. This is why they click on reviews. Make your reviews visible on your website. They should be big enough and have quality information about the product.

A good review should include the features of the product, price, and how consumers will benefit. Make it easier for consumers to read the review by using bullet points and highlighting the main points of interest of the product. For example, when users check products on Red Envelope, they are immediately met with customer reviews of the items.

2. Make reviews interactive

Make it easy for visitors to sort the reviews by rating. For example, you can enable product rating from highest rated to lowest rated. The review should be easy to read and available on the listings as well as product pages.

Make it possible for users to add reviews on your products. This way, consumers will have a wide variety of reviews to go through before they decide to purchase. For example, users can add reviews on Amazon and this helps the site with search engine optimization.

3. Have Credible Reviews

Users can easily know when a review is biased on a particular product at your store. The aim of giving reviews is to provide an objective observation and help users determine whether or not a product will be good for them.

A good review should include both positive and negative attributes of a product. While you are looking to increase sales, providing only positive reviews can make customers distrust your site especially when your competition is also reviewing similar products. You must be objective with your reviews visitors will trust you for that.

4. Single vs. Multi-dimensional Reviews

Depending on the products you are stocking, you have to decide whether to provide a single or multi-dimensional review. For example, if you are stocking men’s pants, you might want to compare them based on style, comfort, material and so on.

On the other hand, do you allow users to review products? If so, is there a way for users to know what the majority of reviewers think of the product? Giving star ratings is a good way of giving consumers an overview of a product.

5. Review Findings

What is the overall rating of the product? Do you approve it or would you advise consumers to go for alternative products? It should be clear from your review what will be the best way forward for someone looking to purchase the product.

A good way is giving recommendations of a product for different types of customers. For example, a particular digital camera may not be good for the professional photographer due to its limited storage capacity, but it may work perfect fine for the hobbyist photographer.

How are you using product reviews on your website to drive conversions? Post your comments below.