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July 20, 2019
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A Shift towards Evaluation
Factual data states that 58% of consumers look for product/services reviews online prior to buying them. This gigantic demand for evaluation can’t be ignored. Moreover, researchers also claim that 98% of buyers believe that online reviews impact their buying. But why are online reviews that impactful when the buyer doesn’t even have the luxury to feel or see the product in person?
One of the reasons is the sales attitude of workers in stores. It is understandable that since they are hired by the brand, they will tell you it is awesome. But that doesn’t entirely apply to online reviews.
But are all the reviews present on forums online believe-worthy? That is where the problem lies. There is a lot of controlling on these platforms. There is always the issue of legitimacy when it comes to buying online. Not to mention, many companies pay people to put false and glowing evaluations to boost sales. It makes them look like they have a chain of delighted customers and thus, making them seem genuine.
Despite the many efforts to create software apps that separate bogus testimonials from real ones, the practice is still very alive.
Why?
For starters, many reviewers don’t have to tell the consumers whether they have used the product/service or not. They are simply placing their opinion about them because they are paid for it.
Blockchain innovation may be of some assistance here. It can keep an eye on all the purchases made by consumers and enable them to leave product reviews of only the ones purchased. This will also limit consumers to post more than one review by using a tamper-proof database. The database will track their shopping history.
Another smart way to detect the authenticity of reviews is to look for any bogus or vague language. Usually, consumers who have used the product back with claims and experiences
So Does Relying On Rankings Also Bogus?
If you happen to come across a site that lists products based on the review it got from its customers, you really should become doubtful.
Does This Mean I Should Not Rely On Item Rankings?
Not long ago, there was the case of a fake restaurant setup. A guy posted high-end photos using shaving foam and bleach tablets. He then listed the place on TripAdvisor and asked his friends for glorious recommendations. It took less than a few months for the place to rank on top as the city’s best place to dine in –even though it didn’t exist in reality.
What about YouTubers Who Promote Products?
There are many YouTubers and social influencers who put up videos of themselves reviewing a certain brand’s product or service. Again, they are used as promoters by companies and purposely do sponsored videos because they are paid. This adds to the persisting issue of bogus reviews as 18% of shoppers do believe in them and end up buying the product reviewed by their favorite influencer.
Another incident that determines how impactful reviews online can be was when a bakeshop that declined to bake a wedding cake for a gay couple was bashed and then closed due to countless bad reviews.
A similar case was seen when a footballer’s diner received bad publicity before even serving a single meal because the owner’s husband performed poorly in the NBA champions.
So Can Blockchain Really Help?
Blockchain can aid the public trust. It can establish platforms that distinguish a genuine review from a fake one. This will help businesses looking to succeed a more genuine consumer base.
So there’s a lot of problems out there, however, what can blockchain do?
Blockchain could help the public trust the compound of the reviews they see online.
A blockchain platform by the name of UUNIO vows to create a space where reviews can be posted free of interaction and external impact.
