Why you should Embrace Negative Customer Reviews
- Hannah Stolarski
- Sep 22, 2021
- 3 min read
No one wants negative reviews on their business social media profile(s), but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have a place where customers can leave feedback. And no, you shouldn’t filter or delete them either and here is why.
When it comes to customer reviews, the greatest fear of a business owner is that there will be a stack of negative ones and only a few positive ones, but I’m here to tell you that, that scenario is statistically impossible. Studies revealed that on average the ratio of positive reviews to negative reviews is 80:20. This suggests that 80% of your reviews will be positive ones and only 20% will be negative ones. Okay, so even though it is more likely to have more positive reviews than negative ones why should you encourage customers to leave reviews at all? 95% of consumers report having read reviews before making a purchase decision and 70% of mobile shoppers are more likely to purchase if the mobile site or app includes reviews. As a result, unsolicited, organic reviews are associated with revenue increases. Who wants to be missing out on those sales? I'm betting not you. Other than more sales, three other benefits come with embracing even negative reviews.
95% of consumers report having read reviews before making a purchase decision
Negative reviews offer up information to customers to conduct an appropriate risk assessment.
Have you ever ordered a product online on the basis that the reviews were great, then once the product arrives you were shocked that all those people didn’t notice the product flaws, or that the packaging was terrible? As a customer, you feel ripped off by the people who left those dodgy reviews and by the company that is filtering out the negative comments. That business is now, in your opinion, unreliable, lacks transparency and overall, lacks a sense of authenticity. However, when you include those negative reviews on your forums, customers are left with a better sense of your product and the potential ‘risks’ associated with buying your product or service. For example, perhaps one of your customers realise a small flaw in your product after they bought it, but this flaw was discussed in the reviews left on your profile. The customer has then been prepared to receive the small product discrepancy with dignity and is even thankful that the reviews they read were so truthful and that your business was professional enough to act transparently by keeping them. Leaving the negative reviews helps your customers better understand you, your product and therefore, be prepared for imperfections.
2. Negative reviews enhance your business’s credibility and authenticity
Why is it important your business been seen as credible and authentic? Because 86% of consumers say authenticity is important when deciding to buy and 81% of consumers say they need to trust the brand to buy from them. Negative reviews demonstrate you are a real brand by showing off the best of your product and the possible flaws.
81% of consumers say they need to trust the brand to buy from them
3. Negative reviews offer up valuable information to you
What can negative reviews tell you? They can tell you where your product needs improving, helping you to demonstrate your ‘listening ears’ to your audience. Consequently, negative reviews can help you better understand your needs and wants, a necessary asset to any business.
Negative reviews shouldn’t be your goal, but you shouldn’t shy away from allowing customers to leave them on your professional business profiles. Embracing negative reviews allows customers to perform an accurate risk assessment when deciding to buy from you, they enhance your businesses credibility and authenticity, and they offer up necessary information about the needs and wants of your customers. I’d say that’s reason enough to allow the product reviews to flow in.
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