Negative Reviews are Not Your Enemy
No business owner likes to see negative reviews. They suck!
You work hard to make your products appealing to customers and work hard on the product itself, and negative reviews can feel like it discounts all your hard work.
When you sell online, you are bound to get negative reviews. You can’t please everyone all of the time. But, having a negative review can be a good thing! These reviews can be just as useful in swaying customers as a positive review.
97% of consumers read product reviews before making a purchase decision, and 85% of consumers look for negative reviews to make informed purchase decisions!
Here are three reasons why your store can benefit from negative reviews:
Negative reviews can highlight positive reviews
Too many positive reviews can look fake
Negative reviews lead to informed buying decisions
Negative Reviews Highlight Positive Reviews
It sounds too good to be true, but it is! Potential customers compare negative and positive reviews before making a purchase. Displaying negative reviews means that it is more likely that people will believe the positive reviews; this means that all the best parts of the review(s) are highlighted and have a more significant impact on their purchasing decisions.
These reviews can also help to build authenticity! Showing the bad along with the good shows your customers that you not only want them to have all the information but that you accept your flaws and that you’re not trying only to show the best and polished parts of your business.
When you have both positive and negative reviews, customers can compare them, and we want our customers to have all the information at their fingertips and have reasonable expectations!
Too Many Positive Reviews Look Fake
When you see a website or product that only has 5-star reviews, you automatically don’t believe it or think something is off, right? Well, there probably is!
Customers are savvy, and when they see a website with nothing but 4 or 5-star reviews, they won’t believe anything written or the credibility of your site. Even the best business have a few negative reviews.
When you don’t have negative reviews on your website, customers will assume that your reviews are fake or censored. And if this is found to be accurate, it can spell trouble for your company; think about what happened with the Sunday Riley skincare brand.
If customers don’t believe the reviews on your website, it can turn customers off from buying from you, and that is something no one wants!
Negative Reviews Lead to Informed Buying
When you buy a big-ticket item or even something you saw on an Instagram ad, you go to the reviews. You may look at the negative reviews first and then read the positive, or maybe you read a mix of both. Often, this is what helps you decide whether or not to buy!
This applies to your customers too.
This means that you have to give your customers the information they need to make an informed decision, which includes others' negative opinions. They will be able to buy with a clear understanding of what the product is and have reasoned expectations!
Negative reviews aren't always about the product; sometimes, it is about how the product didn't meet a customer's expectation or a customer's purchase experience.
While negative reviews can make us feel bad, remember they are not your enemy! More often than not, they are constructive criticism; there is information in them that can let you know what you can improve on.
For example:
If customers say it took too long to receive their order, take that as an opportunity to look into faster shipping or update your shipping page to let customers know how long it will take to receive their order.
If a customer says they were disappointed in the packaging, take that as an opportunity to spruce up or change your packaging.
Nothing is ever black and white, especially when it comes to reviews. There are always shades of grey, and these shades of grey help customers make an informed decision about your product.