With today representing ‘Leave a Review Day’, businesses around the UK are being reminded how crucial user reviews are. According to data from Bazaarvoice’s annual Shopper Experience Index, nearly two-thirds of shoppers (78%) say reviews directly influence their buying decisions, while more than half (55%) admit they are unlikely to purchase a product without reviews or user-generated content.
Shoppers rely heavily on reviews for guidance, and the more evidence of past customer experiences, the greater the influence on their purchasing decisions. The data also shows that a quarter of consumers (25%) won’t even consider a product credible until it has amassed between 10-25 reviews, while only 11% are comfortable buying based on just 1-10 reviews. In addition to the quantity of reviews, the presence of user-generated images plays a pivotal role. Nearly 40% of consumers prefer to see at least 5 to 10 photos before they feel confident about making a purchase.
The style and format of reviews also matter. Most shoppers (61%) favour concise reviews that are 3-4 sentences long, while 55% prefer user-generated videos that last between 15-30 seconds, offering quick and valuable insights without overwhelming detail. It’s clear that well-balanced, concise feedback is what resonates best with today’s consumer.
Even products that have earned a reputation for quality and reliability benefit from up-to-date reviews. Shoppers tend to trust recent feedback more than older testimonials, with 73% of consumers finding newer reviews to be more reliable. In fact, 44% of shoppers believe the most trustworthy reviews are those written in the last 1-3 months, followed by 30% who prefer feedback from the last 3-6 months. Shoppers simply trust content from other shoppers—more than they trust a brand’s marketing message, highlighting the need for businesses to continually engage customers and encourage fresh reviews.
About Bazaarvoice
Bazaarvoice powers user-generated content for over 11,500 brands and retailers globally, enabling businesses to collect, display, and analyse customer reviews, photos, and videos to enhance the shopping experience and drive sales.
For more information, visit www.bazaarvoice.com.
