Negative consumer reviews online are becoming increasingly important to would-be buyers, according to a new study, with 80% of consumers saying they have changed their mind about a purchase after
reading a thumbs-down report. That's up from 67% last year, according to the new 2011 Online Influence Trend Tracker.
The good news is that word-of-mouth for positive reviews has swayed 87% of
shoppers, confirming their decision to purchase. And nearly 90% say they find online channels a trustworthy source for product and service reviews. --Sarah Mahoney