The Power of Product Reviews

PowerReviews is shedding some light on the power of online reviews, revealing that 57 percent of online shoppers specifically seek out websites with product reviews.

The "Power of Reviews" study explores how shoppers are using ratings and reviews. Acording to the study's findings, consumers prefer to shop through channels that make product information, including ratings and reviews, easily accessible. For instance, 70 percent of mobile shoppers report being more likely to purchase a product if the mobile site or app they're purchasing from offers reviews.

"Reviews have become standard resource for consumers making purchase decisions. Ratings and reviews are no longer an option, but an expectation," said Matt Moog, CEO of PowerReviews. "The burden ultimately falls on retailers and brands to provide shoppers with the information they need to make confident purchase decisions, present it in a compelling format and make it available across channels."

The study also notes that most consumers read between 1 and 10 reviews, and prefer information in an easy-to-scan format. Surprisingly, the study shows that 82 percent of consumers also seek out negative reviews to validate the authenticity of the product's overall reviews and trustworthiness of the website they are shopping. That said, reviews can be difficult to obtain, as the data shows that less than half of consumers contribute reviews, with millennials being the least likely to contribute - despite the fact that millennials consult review feedback most frequently.

Additional data shows that 53 percent of shoppers consider retail websites to be the most trustworthy source of reviews. Moreover, three out of four shoppers prefer tag-based reviews that provide a quick snapshot of review keywords and sentiment.