From their first day, our team of Marketing Specialists are trained to guide our customers to successful outcomes. When we see store owners making a harmful decision we offer advice. Why? Because negative reviews can be devastating to brick and mortar stores.
We’ve worked with over 1,500 stores across the country. Our team has witnessed the good, bad and ugly when it comes to digital marketing. In today’s climate when customers are upset they let you know about it. There are times when our advice is prudent. Other times the store owner may be reasonable to chart their own path. Yet, we care deeply. We know that your reviews matter.
Consider this, according to Vendasta, “only 14% of consumers would consider using a business with a one or two star rating.” Compare that to the, “94% of consumers who would use a business with a four star rating.” That is a huge difference.
The sad thing is that negative reviews harm small businesses. Yet, many store owners neglect to think about the impact of their decision making on their online reputation.
In the past, reviews were different. Online reviews were less popular and easy to dismiss. However, the world has changed. Reviews are no longer anonymous. Reviews aren’t seen as scare tactics but valuable consumer feedback that may have a significant impact on a store’s ability to get new customers. Negative reviews may also impact an existing customer base.
To be honest, reviews matter, a lot. It’s important to understand the misconceptions some store owners still have and why it is important to see the current consumer landscape as it is, not as it used to be.
- Business Online Reviews Matter
- Your Online Reviews are Real
- Online Reviews Attract Customers
Online Reviews Matter
Let’s start with statistics.
Does anyone read local business reviews?
Yes, everyone does. Well, not everyone. Just 97% of people read reviews about local businesses.
But why do they do that? Does anyone actually care what they say?
Well, not everyone. But more than half of all consumers surveyed, 58% to be exact, say that a business star rating is the most important factor when deciding where to shop. That means that the number of stars your business has on Facebook or Google is the most important factor a consumer will consider about your business.
Positive reviews encourage people to visit your store. Negative reviews deter them. It is a double edged sword. Surveys indicate that 87% of consumers won’t consider a business with low ratings. Not only do you need quality ratings, but you can’t afford too many bad reviews.
Reviews are everywhere.
There’s something else to consider. Even people who aren’t looking for your business reviews are going to see them. When someone searches for directions to a store on their phone what do they see? They see the directions to stores near them and what else? They see the star ratings for each business.
Why would I shop at the business with 3.3 stars when I could shop at a store with 4.4 or 4.8 stars?
What if they just type in your exact store name into the directions?
They will still see your star rating before they click ‘directions’.
Online Reviews are Real
First, let’s address the psychological issue at hand. It’s easy to dismiss actions taken on a computer as irrelevant. That often couldn’t be further from the truth. The customer likely feels frustrated, disappointed or confused. To dismiss a review as unimportant because it is online is dangerous. Customers post online because a business did not meet their expectation.
Consumers don’t post anonymously anymore. If you read Google or Facebook reviews you will see that they are actually quite public. Most will even include a full name, picture and a link to the profile of the person who posted the review. They aren’t hiding behind a computer anymore than sending an email is hiding behind a computer.
In fact, 84% of people trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations. People post reviews because they want to share experiences. They post reviews when they are happy and when they are mad.
Why is Facebook so popular, or Instagram? Social media is an extension of our lives. The perception that this is a disconnected experience is uniquely dated. We carry our phones constantly and the average person spends over 4 hours per day on their phone. The reviews, the personal interactions and decision making is real. It is the current state of interaction, trust and engagement with the world around you.
Online Reviews Attract Customers
A single negative review may not lose you a customer. What about multiple negative reviews? Maybe, but maybe not.
What about someone who has never shopped in your store before? According to Forbes, “82% of smartphone users consult their phones on purchases they are about to make in-store and 45% read reviews before making a purchase.” You read that right. 45% of people read reviews on their smart phones before making a purchase in a store. That means that half of the people who are considering shopping with you may see your negative reviews as a factor when deciding whether or not to drive to your store.
Almost half of all people who shop in a brick and mortar store will check reviews first. New and existing customers included. Oh wait… maybe it could have some impact on those existing customers after all…