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How Q&A Impacts Shopper Trust and Purchase Behavior

Today, the vast majority of shoppers read the Q&A portion of product pages at least sometimes. We explore this topic in more detail elsewhere in this report.

Here, we’ll take a closer look at how the presence (or absence) of Q&A impacts shoppers’ trust and purchase behavior.

The Impact of Q&A on Conversion

When a consumer interacts with Q&A on a product page, it boosts their confidence – and their likelihood of making a purchase. PowerReviews analyzed 1.5 million online product pages from 1,200 brand and retail sites and found that there’s a 177.2% lift in conversion among visitors who interact with Q&A. In fact, Q&A is the most powerful form of UGC on conversion!

There is an average 177.2% lift in conversion when shoppers interact with Q&A content
Source: How User-Generated Content Impacts Conversion: 2023 Edition

If you’re not displaying Q&A on your product pages, you’re leaving money on the table.

How a Lack of Q&A Negatively Impacts Trust

The presence of Q&A positively impacts conversion. On the flip side, a lack of Q&A can have negative consequences.

Nearly a quarter (24%) of consumers say that if there’s no Q&A section on a product page, it makes them more suspicious about the quality of the product or the brand they’re considering.  

If a product doesn’t have a Q&A section, does this make you any more suspicious about the quality of the product or brand concerned?
Yes
24%
No
39%
Makes no difference
37%

Gen Z shoppers are the group most likely to be suspicious of a lack of Q&A content.

Portion of Each Generation That is More Suspicious of the Quality of a Product/Brand Due to a Lack of Q&A
Gen Z
29%
Millennials
24%
Gen X
22%
Boomers
23%

In addition, men (30%) are more likely to be suspicious of products with no Q&A than women (23%).

Young black male with beard in blue sweater
Men
30%
Women
23%

How a Lack of Q&A Negatively Impacts Purchase Likelihood

If a consumer navigates to a product page and it has no Q&A, it can negatively impact their likelihood of making a purchase. Overall, nearly a quarter (23%) of consumers indicate that a lack of Q&A makes them less likely to purchase a product.

If a product page DOES NOT have a Questions and Answers section, does this make you less likely to buy the product concerned?
Yes
23%
No
42%
Makes no difference
35%

Again, Gen Z’ers are the group most likely to be deterred by a lack of Q&A.

Portion of Each Generation That is Less Likely to Purchase a Product if There is No Q&A Available
Gen Z
27%
Millennials
22%
Gen X
21%
Boomers
22%

Men (29%) are more likely to steer clear of products without Q&A than women (22%)

Young black male with beard in blue sweater
Men
29%
Women
22%

Section Summary: Brands and Retailers Can’t Afford to Forgo Q&A

Q&A is proven to significantly impact conversion. In fact, it’s the type of user-generated content that has the largest impact on conversion.

On the other hand, a lack of Q&A is enough to raise red flags for a significant portion of shoppers – especially younger ones.

Be sure to incorporate a Q&A section into all of your product pages. It’s a powerful way to boost perception of your brand and products and drive conversion.

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