Reviews matter when it comes to online purchase decisions, but not as much as deals, according to a RetailMeNot.com survey conducted by Ipsos. 56% of US respondents said that deals, discounts or sales on the product they’re purchasing influences their decision, while 51% counted reviews, ratings or opinions of customers who have already bought the product as an influence on their purchase decision. Not far behind, 45% of US respondents said that the trustworthiness of the retailer plays a part in their decision-making process. Fewer pointed to factors such as speed and convenience of delivery for the product (29%), reviews, ratings or opinions of professional journalists or industry experts that have used the product (26%), and comments, reviews and opinions from peers on social media (22%).
It’s interesting to see customer reviews showing up as far more influential than professional reviews, as Weber Shandwick found the same result when looking at consumer electronics purchases.
Americans ranked their influences in the same order as the 11-country sample. On average, though, US respondents seem to be more influenced by deals, customer reviews and the trustworthiness of the retailer, while slightly less inclined to see spee and convenience of delivery for the product as a purchase influencer.
Only about 1 in 5 respondents (both US and overall) said that personalized recommendations based on their previous shopping and browsing habits influence their online purchase decisions.
Other Findings:
- Just 1 in 5 US respondents (and 27% overall) said they primarily prefer to purchase well-known brands even if they cost more. This question was not limited to online shopping.
- Asked why they would choose to shop online over shopping in-store for the same product, 47% of US respondents said that they like to be able to compare prices at different retailers easily, and an equal percentage said it’s because they can access stores they don’t live near. Those were the top responses – just 16% said it’s because they find online shopping a more enjoyable experience.
About the Data: Ipsos conducted approximately n=1,000 (or in some cases, n=500) quantitative online interviews among adults in 11 countries, for a total of 10,009 interviews: Australia (1,000); Canada (1,001); China (999); France (1,000); Germany (1,000); Great Britain (1,001); India (1,003); Italy (1,000); Sweden (505); US (1,000); and Netherlands (500).

Results are weighted to the general adult population ages 16-64 (or in the US and Canada, 18-64). Weighting is done separately for each country. Interviewing was conducted from June 10-24, 2013.
