SMBs use reviews to build trust and make more sales this holiday season

NEEDHAM, Mass., Nov. 19 /PRNewswire/ -- Small businesses who integrate reviews into their Web site are seeing significant returns according to a recent survey from RatePoint, a leading provider of customer feedback and online reputation management services.

Of the 30 percent of small business retailers who had integrated product reviews into their Web sites, 43 percent said reviews had resulted in more sales, while 28 percent indicated reviews had resulted in more traffic.

"Reviews help small business owners learn more about how customers use their products, find latent issues with their site or shopping process they hadn't yet discovered and most importantly, find satisfied customers whose positive feedback will build trust with potential customers," said Neal Creighton, CEO of RatePoint. "Missing out on all of the information and opportunities that reviews provide is something that small businesses simply can't afford to do."

While some small business owners have the perception that reviews can be damaging to a brand, data has shown that reviews are much more likely to impact a business positively than negatively. RatePoint survey data released in July showed reviews were six times more likely to impact a business positively than negatively.

According to research from Deloitte & Touche, more than 82 percent of those who read reviews said their purchasing decisions have been directly influenced by those reviews. Feedback also continues to spread virally; 69 percent of consumers who read reviews share them with friends, family or colleagues.

"Research clearly shows that peer reviews increase consumer trust when shopping online," said Creighton said. "Small businesses who have implemented reviews on their site are uniquely positioned to stand apart this holiday season as shoppers look to transact with sites and brands they can trust."

About RatePoint:

RatePoint, Inc., the leading provider of customer feedback and online reputation management services, helps businesses protect and build their online reputation, allowing businesses to harness the power of credible customer feedback and leverage it into a sales, marketing and customer service asset.

RatePoint's easy-to-use, Web-based communication services include customer feedback tools to collect business and product reviews, email marketing, survey and dispute resolution capabilities to provide small- and medium-sized businesses with the ability to collect, manage and promote customer feedback directly from their Web site. For more information, contact us at: 888-777-1636 or visit: www.ratepoint.com.

SOURCE RatePoint, Inc.

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