Leave a Review Day – Two-thirds (78%) of consumers claim that reviews impact their purchase decisions

With today representing ‘Leave a Review Day’, businesses around the UK are being reminded how crucial user reviews are. According to data from Bazaarvoice’s annual Shopper Experience Index, nearly two-thirds of shoppers (78%) say reviews directly influence their buying decisions, while more than half (55%) admit they are unlikely to purchase a product without reviews or user-generated content.
Shoppers rely heavily on reviews for guidance, and the more evidence of past customer experiences, the greater the influence on their purchasing decisions. The data also shows that a quarter of consumers (25%) won’t even consider a product credible until it has amassed between 10-25 reviews, while only 11% are comfortable buying based on just 1-10 reviews. In addition to the quantity of reviews, the presence of user-generated images plays a pivotal role. Nearly 40% of consumers prefer to see at least 5 to 10 photos before they feel confident about making a purchase.
The style and format of reviews also matter. Most shoppers (61%) favour concise reviews that are 3-4 sentences long, while 55% prefer user-generated videos that last between 15-30 seconds, offering quick and valuable insights without overwhelming detail. It’s clear that well-balanced, concise feedback is what resonates best with today’s consumer.
Even products that have earned a reputation for quality and reliability benefit from up-to-date reviews. Shoppers tend to trust recent feedback more than older testimonials, with 73% of consumers finding newer reviews to be more reliable. In fact, 44% of shoppers believe the most trustworthy reviews are those written in the last 1-3 months, followed by 30% who prefer feedback from the last 3-6 months. Shoppers simply trust content from other shoppers—more than they trust a brand’s marketing message, highlighting the need for businesses to continually engage customers and encourage fresh reviews.