How negative reviews benefit your online sales

Negative reviews are inevitable

Reviews hold immense power over brands: they can either boost or hurt reputations. Companies are always improving their products to prevent as many negative reviews as possible, but let’s face it: nothing is ever one-size-fits-all. Negative reviews are inevitable, no matter how well-beloved it is by consumers.

That said, as scathing as negative reviews can be at times, having them sprinkled across your website is not necessarily a bad thing. If anything, they offer extra perspective to help consumers see both sides of the coin before making an informed purchase decision.

Let’s take a deeper dive into how negative reviews can actually benefit your business.

Consumers are skeptical of products with only five-star reviews

According to PowerReviews.com, 82% of consumers take the time to read not only the positive reviews but also the negative ones. Those who see products with only five-star reviews become extremely skeptical. Consumers are more likely to trust the legitimacy of the product when there’s a comfortable balance of both positive and negative reviews. Here’s why:

1) Consumers want to hear both sides of the story

Products with a mix of both positive and negative reviews provide consumers with a more well-rounded perspective, which builds credibility and reduces the possibility of reporting bias. Negative reviews especially adds depth to the product’s overall rating as it warns consumers what they should look out for in the product apart from the positives.

2) Extreme ratings are perceived as ‘lower quality’

Customers normally only publish online reviews if they’re extremely satisfied or extremely disappointed with the product. When reviews and ratings are only available on either range of the spectrum (either 1 or 5 stars specifically), it does not give consumers the best available judgement on the product’s overall quality and performance. Furthermore, readers may be more likely to read the negative reviews as opposed to the positive ones to fact-check the brand’s claims on the product.

3) Extremely positive reviews can be dishonest and biased

Depending on the consumer’s intentions, some positive reviews can be misleading due to dishonesty and product or brand bias. Some people enjoy presenting themselves as ‘the expert’ or may have left a review even though they have never tried the product themselves. Companies sometimes exercise censorship or manipulation by 1) removing or altering reviews, and 2) generating only positive reviews by incentivizing writers with money or gifts.

Too good to be true

Contrary to popular belief, high ratings do not always lead to better sales results. When a product is saturated with end-to-end five-star reviews, it just looks too good to be true and consumers will identify that as ‘bait.’ Having five-star reviews is great, as long as a good combination of moderate and negative reviews is in place to balance things out and properly represent a mix of good and bad consumer experiences.

Value your negative reviews

Consumers are entitled to share honest feedback, even if it means their experiences with your products were not ideal. Constructive criticism as such add further depth and dimension to overall insight into the product, elevating consumer trust and credibility for your brand.

And why remove or alter negative reviews when you can actually learn from them? Constructive criticism is a wonderful segment towards progress and improvement, which can lead to higher customer satisfaction the next time you release a new and improved product.

Are you in need of ratings and reviews to boost brand awareness and credibility? Schedule a meeting with our sales team today at sales@starsandstories.com.

24

Authentic reviews delivered

8

Samples

4,4

Average rating

95%

Recommendation

298

Average words per review

"We have had the pleasure of testing the Bosch MUMS2TW00 for a few weeks via Reviewclub. We have made both soft and hard cakes, as well as regular bull dough. It has done all the tasks well, however, the whisk was not so effective at whipping cream. But for thicker doughs, we think it has good power, it does not seem strained or so in the engine. There are many accessories which are good. It has a slim and modern design and looks good on the kitchen counter! All parts are easily washed in the dishwasher."

Joost van de BeldBrand Activation & MarCom Specialist at Sony Benelux

“First of all, I think the design is quite nice. You can choose between different skins to customise it. The delivery includes a storage case and several of these black rubber attachments. You can practise inserting the skins in front of the mirror, but it’s also very intuitive. So far, I have always had the problem that all earplugs become loose or slip out at some point. During a concert, I was constantly busy adjusting the earplugs. That’s definitely over now because the wings make them sit perfectly. I no longer have to worry about accidentally losing them. Now for the important part – the sound. You can still have a conversation without any problems. The sound is not dull, it is still clear, but simply quieter and therefore more pleasant. You can easily clean them with water. All in all, I am really thrilled and have finally found my favourites!”

Martijn BraamBenelux Director | iRobot

"Like this sharply. Feels solidly built and stands extra extra firmly with the help of the suction cups at the bottom. The engine does a good job. Both for simpler tasks such as whipping cream, but also when putting dough and other heavier jobs. The sound volume is perfectly okay. What I like most is all the accessories you can complement it with. This means that it can completely replace a number of household appliances. It is also good in size, feels compact but still strong. Looks so good that you can have it in the kitchen."

E. EngqvistLindt

When I unpacked [the coffee machine] for the first time, I was surprised at how big and powerful the coffee machine looked. Although I knew the dimensions when ordering, it still looked even larger in real life. If you only have limited space in the kitchen, this will probably be a bit difficult. Otherwise, the coffee machine makes a valuable impression with its titanium look… The taste of the coffee is full-bodied and very tasty. Whether it’s an espresso in the morning or a latte macchiato at noon, I’ve never had a coffee that I didn’t like. I was completely won over by the fully automatic coffee machine despite the high acquisition costs. You quickly have a really tasty coffee that is cheaper in the long run and better for environmental reasons than our previous capsule coffee machine.

E. EngqvistLindt