The pandemic affected consumer spending in unexpected ways, giving ecommerce a 31.7-percent bump in online sales. It also saw the rise of mobile or mcommerce sales, which increased by 15.2% in 2021. Experts forecast that its piece of the pie will reach 44.2% of all ecommerce purchases by 2025. Therefore, riding the tide of these tailwinds is imperative for any business with an online presence.

Customer reviews and a personalized shopping experience are critical factors driving conversions and sales.

According to Jungle Scout, being able to read about others’ impressions of a product or service is one of the 10 reasons people opt to shop online. These reviews have a significant impact, with 66% saying they were influenced by positive feedback. However, the source of the product reviews is just as important. Consider these facts about the state of the online marketplace.

According to HubSpot, 65% of consumers don’t trust ads, with 55% saying they don’t feel the same about the businesses pedaling them, either. Instead, 81% will look toward family and friends for social proof.

Consumers are 12 times more likely to believe an online review than a company’s description of a product or service.

The question businesses must ask is how can they harness the potential of reviews to win back consumer trust? Brands must also consider the best way to present their products to turn awareness into action. It begins with how organizations are cultivating and using the feedback they receive.

Reviewing the Use of Reviews

It used to be that online reviews were limited to either a thumbs up or down, with perhaps with a number of stars denoting a buyer’s satisfaction with the sale. Too often, the feedback was short and uninformative. Buying was a matter of trial and error, putting customer service on the hot seat.

Now, you’ll see photo reviews and even videos providing valuable feedback to businesses and consumers. Those who take this extra step say they do it to inform others, not unlike a PSA. Influencers have also upended the marketplace, taking full advantage of the halo effect to drive sales. If a favorite celebrity endorsed a product, it had to be good.

However, the role of reviews has also evolved because of the changes in the online marketplace. People who rarely or never considered ecommerce made the leap out of necessity due to COVID-19 and the subsequent lockdowns. That made reviews more important for a broader scope of buyers.

For example, interactions with consumer feedback have increased by 50% compared to pre-pandemic levels. Individuals are scrutinizing their buying decisions more, perhaps as a fallout of the so-called “Great Reprioritization” that has rocked the workplace. Individuals began reassessing everything, from their jobs to a company’s sustainability practices. Organizations were suddenly put on notice.

The takeaway from the upheaval is that it behooves businesses to pay attention to the trends and learn from them. Consider the role of feedback in consumer purchases. Not only does the ability to leave a review matter, but also the ease of doing it, with 62% saying they won’t return to a site if they’ve had a negative online experience.

Consumers also expect a quick response to their questions, with 82% expecting an answer within 30 minutes or less. Brands that don’t heed the warning pay the price. An individual is more likely to share a negative experience with their family and friends than a positive one. However, it doesn’t end there.

Reviewbit: Collecting Reviews Through Your Preferred Social Media Channel

An excellent starting point is listening to your buyers. Often, people will either add a review if their experience has been overwhelming positive or negative. That hasn’t been lost on scammers who post fake ones to drum up business. Consumers have caught on, with 27% putting greater stock in what they consider to be authentic ones.

Having no reviews is just as detrimental to a business as having negative feedback, with 92% reluctant to hit the “Add to Cart” button. It’s not just online, either. About 69% of potential buyers check out consumer reviews before talking to a sales associate at brick and mortar stores. The key is to encourage verified buyers to share their impressions of a product or service.

That’s what makes a review app like Reviewbit so valuable. It allows brands to tap into the potential of legitimate reviews by integrating with WhatsApp to get honest feedback. Its 100% open rate enables businesses to get a high response rate to help consumers with their buying decisions and boost conversions.

It’s a more practical approach than emails, which may never make it to an individual’s Inbox.

By prompting consumers for product reviews, companies can start a dialogue that can ultimately build trust and foster brand loyalty. It’s worth mentioning that buyers who have a positive experience with a business may spend up to 140% more than individuals who didn’t. Moreover, they’re more likely to stay consumers for five years or more, which will improve retention and reduce acquisition costs.

Features

Reviewbit makes the process easy for consumers and businesses. Buyers have an interface they’re comfortable using already. Brands benefit from automatic review requests with nudges to help ensure reviews on all your orders. Instead of a generic form, the app uses a chat interface for a more personalized experience. Reviewbit also has multiple language support.

This UI allows users to leave photo or video reviews. The latter taps into the potential of video marketing with user-generated content. That adds to the app’s value since 71% of individuals don’t believe sponsored advertisements and want unbiased opinions. You can also generate discount coupons to encourage product feedback and repeat sales.

You can easily customize Reviewbit to match your business’s brand. It also enables you to connect with consumers instantly to meet their expectations for quick responses. Nurturing these relationships is vital and can increase buyer spending by over 57%. The benefits come from the knowledge you gain from learning what matters to buyers.

Customer Tagger: Tailored Workflows for Customer Segments

Education is one thing. It’s another matter altogether to apply it in the best way. Customer Tagger enables businesses to create a personalized buying experience that will automatically tag customers based on their buying behavior. Instead of promoting something you hope will stick, the app will create customer segments for more focused marketing campaigns.

The app uses multi-condition workflows as part of its tag management. You can gain insights into buyer behavior by learning when they shop, what they look for, and how much they’re willing to spend on their purchases. Shopify auto tags will identify discount shoppers and cart abandoners, too. The harsh reality is that the rate of the latter is over 80% across all sectors. It’s literally lost cash from your bottom line.

You can improve your conversions and sales when you create customer segments to reach potential buyers when they’re most likely to go from interest to action. Generating customer tags is just the first step. The app provides the data you need to match workflows to the shopper at the right time. Once the sale is complete, Reviewbit can then send an automated request for a review to finish the cycle.

Final Thoughts

Consumers have long recognized the importance of reviews. It’s the source of unbiased feedback on a product or service that many individuals trust over businesses. Even a single negative review can turn into lost sales. That makes an app like Reviewbit such a valuable tool for companies to connect with customers. It provides an opportunity to turn a bad experience into a positive one.

Customer Tagger helps brands optimize their marketing with Shopify auto tag customers. Businesses and consumers benefit from the information they learn about shopping behavior. Companies save time and effort with targeted workflows to generate sales. Buyers get the personalized experience they want from ecommerce sites. It can reduce marketing costs by focusing on individuals further in the sales funnel.

Change the way you interact with your consumers in a more meaningful way. Download Reviewbit and Customer Tagger today to start your free trial. The power of knowledge and understanding awaits.