Don’t Keep Customer Reviews Secret

Why Reviews are Important to Seacret and Other Companies

Shopping online is a completely different ballgame to going to a physical store and making a purchase. Shoppers can’t touch the product, smell it or try it out. They have to make their decisions based on online research and are often left sitting on the fence when it comes to making a decision about which product to purchase. In a study by Dimensional Research, it was revealed that as much as 90% customers are influenced by reading online reviews when they are making their buying decisions.

Reviews, Seacret’s secret weapon

Take the new reviews site from Seacret Spa as an example. The luxury cosmetics company takes customer input seriously and encourages reviews to such an extent that a website was constructed specifically for that purpose. Customers are welcomed to share their experiences of the cosmetic products, provide advice on how to use the products, and even to give constructive criticism. Another prime example is Modcloth, who don’t only allow customers to write reviews but also encourages them to share details about the products and themselves with the aim of helping others similar to them in size and shape to better understand how the product will work for them. Whether your company is an online cosmetics store like Seacret or a clothing retailer like Modcloth, reviews are a useful tool.

Does this mean all online retailers should encourage reviews?

Yes, customer reviews can be a powerful method of persuading potential buyers to take action. In a digital world the online reputation of any business, and any product is a priority. And your presence on the Internet is not only dependent on what you generate – what others contribute also plays a big role in how you and your products and services are ultimately perceived. Online customer reviews highlight various aspects of your business; they shed light on your brand, provide insight into your products and services, and can even improve your rankings.

How to encourage reviews

Once you have decided that you want to make use of the power of reviews, here are some tips on how to do it:

• Set up profiles on review sites where possible. Depending on the country and industry you are in there are targeted sites like Google Local, TripAdvisor, LinkedIn, Trustpilot, TrustLink, Yelp and Citysearch.

• Set up a website targeted at reviews, like the reviews site from Seacret.

• Ask your customers to give you reviews. Your customers will understand that reviews are important to your business and as long as your products and services are excellent, they won’t mind if you ask for a review. Don’t wait too long before you ask, customers are more likely to give you feedback soon after the transaction.

• Engage with the reviews, respond constructively to negative reviews, provide advice when asked for it and be gracious when you are given compliments. It is quite common for unhappy customers to replace negative reviews with positive ones once their complaints have been dealt with.