At Good Company Doughnuts in Arlington, a customer named Audrey Morris picked up a sandwich. A QR code at the register prompted her to leave a review. She found the request exhausting. “They’re excessive,” she said.
This situation is common. From health care to car services, everyone wants feedback. While customers appreciate reading reviews, the constant demand for them has created review fatigue. What started as a good idea is turning into a chore for both shoppers and businesses.
Experts like Prasad Vana, a marketing professor at the University of Oxford, say Amazon significantly influenced this review culture. In its early days as an online bookstore, Amazon encouraged customer reviews. Vana notes that they were one of the first companies to adopt a standardized rating system, which included all types of reviews, even negative ones. This honesty aimed to help customers make informed choices.
Now, as competition has grown, sellers must gather more reviews to stay relevant. Amazon won’t comment on its search algorithms, but it’s clear that a higher number of reviews affects product visibility. Vana explains that as consumers, we’re wired to seek reviews for everything, from groceries to healthcare decisions. The flow of information guides our buying choices.
Marketing expert Andrea Flynn adds that reviews offer social validation. Despite knowing some reviews are fake, a staggering 97% of consumers read them before they buy, according to a recent survey by BrightLocal.
The ease of gathering feedback has improved. With just a few clicks, businesses request reviews via email or text. Companies can even use QR codes, making it simple to collect customer opinions quickly. Yet this approach can lead to customers feeling overwhelmed. As Charles Kachadoorian, co-founder of Good Company, states, “The reviews really matter,” but they often miss the personal touch of face-to-face interactions.
Customer reactions show a growing discontent. Many feel inundated by the number of review requests they receive. Some might only comment after an extraordinary experience, whether good or bad. Flynn and Vana emphasize that average experiences often go unreported, which skews the review data.
To counter this fatigue, businesses should mix up their approach. Instead of seeking feedback every time, experts suggest asking after significant purchases or at less frequent intervals. Timing is crucial; engaging with satisfied customers at the right moment can make them more likely to leave positive feedback.
Wendy Smith from SurveyMonkey highlights that people prefer contributing if they feel their insights will be acted on. She advises businesses to focus on relevant questions and respect the value of customer feedback.
The rise of review culture has transformed how we interact with businesses. Taking a thoughtful approach can help companies maintain relationships with their customers while avoiding review burnout.
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