Writing for TechCrunch, Tom Collinger, the executive director of Northwestern’s Spiegel Research Center, reports that a recent study found that “in moderation, bad reviews actually help boost sales.” Consumers are more likely to buy or download products with star ratings between 4.2 and 4.5 than those with five stars, presumably because five-star ratings seem too good to be true. In addition, 82 percent of consumers look for negative reviews before purchasing a product.
The takeaway for website developers and mobile development firms is to make it easy for customers to find and read all reviews—not just the positive ones. And they shouldn’t be too concerned about occasional negative feedback because it will make their apps or products seem more authentic.
