Web reviewers ‘transform shopping habits’

Online product reviewers are rapidly changing British consumers’ shopping habits, new research has found.

Consumer review site reviewcentre.com found that online reviewers are putting pressure on companies to either meet their demands, or face criticism on the web.

The company cited the return of Cadbury’s Wispa chocolate bars after a Facebook campaign as a ‘classic’ example of the power of the internet.

Paul Nadin, the founder of the company, said the power of social networking and review sites have indicated how ‘people power’ can affect industry changes.

He added that businesses could use the sites to their advantage. “This is an important way for companies to research consumer wants and ensure their products are hitting the right audiences.

“A negative online review can cause untold damage to a product, adversely affecting sales an reputation,” he said.

In 2004, website BikeBiz.com published a video containing instructions on how to pick the ‘unbreakable’ Kryptonite bike lock with a ball-point pen. The company responded to the subsequent media uproar by offering a lock exchange programme, and ultimately redesigning its locks.

However, Nadin pointed out that the majority of reviewers use the internet to praise products.

He said: “40% of the postings are overwhelmingly positive, and there is clearly an appetite to communicate good news about a brand, rather than focusing on the bad.

“It is these loyal consumers who are like gold dust to marketers. There is a considerable consumer force which should not be underestimated by marketers in today’s climate where competition is fiercer than ever and brands are at the mercy of the consumer voice.”

He added that if a consumer’s trust is broken, the ‘floodgates of opinion’ are unleashed.

“This is when companies can find themselves falling victim to the widespread sharing of negative information on the web,” he said.

© Crimson Business Ltd. 2008