Consumers Reviews And Ratings: How Much Are They Worth?

About one in 10 US consumers regularly share information about a product they are either planning to buy or have recently bought. But why, where, and when? Forrester conducted a qualitative study with our online consumer community to explore where consumers go to read and write reviews on products, what motivates them to write reviews, and why they go to these particular sites. Many consumers use ratings and reviews when they want to purchase something, and they see it as their responsibility to help others out and guide them through the decision process. Consumers like sharing their feedback not only with friends but also with companies directly -- but only when they think the product or service is particularly good or bad. Many consumers said that they often didn’t share their opinions because the process was too cumbersome or they just forgot. This report gives deeper insight into when and how consumers are willing to give feedback, as well as the challenges they currently face doing so.