CHICAGO – March 19, 2018 – PowerReviews, a leading provider of ratings, reviews and question and answer technology to more than 1,000 global brands and retailers, today released a new white paper titled “The Growing Power of Reviews,” which details how consumer dependence on customer reviews has evolved over the past three years. The report is based on a survey of more than 1,000 U.S. consumers and follows a similar PowerReviews study from 2014, measuring how the importance of consumer reviews has steadily increased since 2014.

“Customer reviews have changed the way shoppers research, discover and purchase products both online and in-store. Brand-provided information is no longer enough. Today’s consumers have come to expect easily accessible information to aid their purchase decisions, and the number of shoppers who rely on information from fellow consumers increases each year,” said Matt Moog, chief executive officer, PowerReviews. “Our survey found that reviews have a larger impact on purchasing decisions than recommendations from family and friends, the brand of the product and the availability of free shipping.”

The PowerReviews study reveals insights into consumer behavior, their shopping habits and how they rely on authentic user-generated content. Key findings include:

  • 97% of consumers consult product reviews while 85% of consumers seek out negative reviews before making a purchase.
  • Over one-third of shoppers won’t purchase products in a brick-and-mortar store without first consulting reviews.
  • Today, 50% of consumers write reviews for products they’ve purchased, an increase from 42% in 2014.
  • The majority of consumers read between one and 10 reviews before making a purchase.

To read the full white paper please visit, The Growing Power of Reviews report or listen to a breakdown of the survey results in a webinar recording.

About PowerReviews
PowerReviews works with more than 1,000 global brands and retailers to deliver cloud-based software that collects and displays ratings and reviews and questions and answers on websites. PowerReviews unifies and amplifies the voice of the consumer throughout their journey, across all channels to help consumers make better purchase decisions and to help businesses drive conversion and improve products and services. Ratings and reviews are essential for consumers as they search and shop online and in-store, driving traffic on more than 5,000 websites, creating actionable insights to improve products and services, increasing conversion, and growing online site-wide sales. The Open Network reaches more than one billion in-market shoppers every month, giving retailers and brands the power to reach shoppers wherever they are. For more information, visit www.powerreviews.com.

Next week I’ll be heading to Las Vegas with a few members of the PowerReviews team for Shoptalk 2018, one of the largest retail and ecommerce events that focuses on the way consumers discover, shop and buy. This year Shoptalk is hosting 7,500+ attendees — including executives from established brands and retailers, startups, tech companies, investors, media and analysts.

The four-day event is filled with speaker presentations and keynotes, a wide range of exhibitors and countless networking opportunities. Some companies we’re looking forward to hearing from this year are:

  • Gap Inc.
  • Target
  • Ulta Beauty
  • Walmart Inc.

Hear from our CEO

If you’re attending Shoptalk, make sure to attend the Techtalk presentation by our CEO, Matt Moog. On Monday, March 19, Matt Moog will address the Open Network as well as PowerReviews’ newly released product and service offerings to increase content available for syndication across the Open Network.

Time: Monday, March 19 at 6:18 p.m.

Location: Stage 4, Booth #2445 in the Exhibit Hall

Stop by our booth

Stop by booth 2019 in the Exhibit Hall to discuss your business challenges, hear about our new product capabilities, and see firsthand how PowerReviews’ solutions can help you drive traffic, sales and insights. I’d love to talk with you about the opportunities and challenges you’re facing in 2018 and how we can help.

The Exhibit Hall will be open:

  • Monday, March 19 from 8am-7pm
  • Tuesday, March 20 from 8am-7pm

Would you like to schedule time with us? Book an on-site meeting with us at Shoptalk today.

We hope to see in Las Vegas!

Lance Madynski

As Vice President of Sales, Lance Madynski is responsible for new client acquisition, retention and expansion of the company’s customer base. In this role, he works with his teams to understand a client’s specific business and ecommerce challenges, then creates tailored recommendations to address these challenges. Lance has more than 12 years of experience in sales, sales leadership and account management.

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