3 tips to keep in mind when integrating a rating system into your shop
Reviews for your store and products have become increasingly important in recent years. Studies show that customer trust and sales in online shops have risen steadily when operators use a rating system. The three basic rules of authenticity, sustainable service and continuous customer communication play a major role in customer credibility and trust. We illustrate our following report using our partner Trustpilot, with whom we have been working successfully for the past two years.
authenticity
Before making a purchase decision, online shop customers are finding out more and more about the store and its reviews, i.e. about the so-called social trust. It is astonishing that online reviews are perceived as almost as credible as recommendations from friends and family; over 66% of all customers who shop online trust reviews from others. By way of comparison, 83% trust in recommendations from family and friends (Nielsen). 72% of the online shoppers surveyed say they check the provider's reviews before making a purchase decision (testimonial engine).
It is extremely important that the reviews displayed are obtained using a transparent and comprehensible system so that the customer does not get the impression of seeing “fake reviews.” Trustpilot, for example, makes a clear distinction between reviews that come from verified purchases in the Shopify store and reviews that customers submit via the Trustpilot website. Each review is published immediately and without prior approval by the shop operator or the system, so that maximum transparency is guaranteed (Trustpilot I).
A liberating finding for online shop operators who have not yet set up a rating system due to fear of poor and imperfect reviews: According to a recent study by KPMG, 46% would buy again from a shop with which they have built up loyalty, for example through positive interaction via a rating system (KPMG). Read a bit more about that below.
By the way, did you know that reviews that reach you via a system like Trustpilot have a positive influence on SEO and can therefore improve your ranking in search engines or be included in the presentation of search results? (Trustpilot II, reviews.io)
Sustainable service
With a focus on high-quality, sustainable products and attentive customer service, you can pave the way for positive reviews from customers. According to a survey, product quality (74%) and customer service (56%) are decisive for customer loyalty, ahead of the 54% price (KPMG). Of course, your efforts in these areas will pay off, as your customers notice when they're being taken care of and reward you with positive feedback; here are two examples of Trustpilot reviews from our Shopify customers.
Our Shopify customers have had a good experience asking buyers for a review after they receive their order — whether positive or negative. As a rule, the overwhelming experiences of customers are positive — and this is reflected more strongly in the reviews of the stores. A study states that 72% of respondents were more likely to leave a review for a shop when asked by the operator (BrightLocal). Trustpilot has various automatic and manual functions for this purpose, which can even be integrated with an email marketing tool and which are presented transparently to the end customer.
Negative reviews
Not everything always runs perfectly and to the full satisfaction of your customers. Sometimes it is not even due to our own service, but, for example, to external factors, shipping service providers, suppliers, undetected errors in the store, etc. Customers who read reviews understand this, as our experiences show. Harvard Business Review (HBR) has found in a study that responding quickly, directly to negative comments can even help increase sales, because:
● Customers want to feel heard and understood.
● Quick response to comments and attempts to solve problems are welcomed.
● Customers recognize that they can rely on responsive communication even with future problems, and brand loyalty increases.
Therefore, a balanced review profile is definitely a win for your Shopify store! Current figures show: 68% of the customers surveyed say they trust web shops more that have both positive and less positive reviews (reevoo) — this percentage is even higher among 18 to 29-year-olds: 91% (Neil Patel)!
Our partner Trustpilot has recognized this trend and offers shop owners the opportunity to respond to all reviews in real time and to engage in public and transparent exchange with customers. It is also possible to have suspected harmful reviews, which are sometimes written by competitors or by bots, checked by the platform in order to guarantee the highest level of trustworthy, genuine reviews.
conclusion
There are many ways to increase your social trust, customer trust in your store, products and services, and opting for a strong rating system is definitely one of them! Almost all Greenblut customers already use rating systems and tell us about their consistently positive experiences. As a Trustpilot partner, we are up to date with the latest developments in review marketing. And we know how important it is to focus on authenticity, service quality and customer communication, first-hand and personal experience.
Indication of sources
nielsen Global Trust in Advertising — 2015 — Nielsen Testimonial Engine How Reviews Affect Purchasing Decisions and SEO - Testimonial Engine (mytestimonialengine.com) Trustpilot I Trustpilot - How reviews work KPMG The truth about customer loyalty (assets.kpmg) Trustpilot II Reviews and Google: How do they work together? - Trustpilot Business Blog Reviews.io 6 Ways Reviews Can Benefit SEO - Reviews Blog BrightLocal Local Consumer Review Survey: How Customer Reviews Affect Behavior (brightlocal.com) HBR How Customer Service Can Turn Angry Customers into Loyal Ones (hbr.org) REEVOO Ebook: Bad reviews are good for business - Reevoo Neil Patel Your Business Needs More Negative Reviews. Here's Why (neilpatel.com)
