Does a review influence your purchases

I was going through my emails and deleting many of the emails that crowd my inbox on a daily basis. I started noticing that almost every company that I’ve done business with lately was asking for a review. Some offered discounts on future services/products, some offered prizes and others gratefully thanked me for buying or using their products.

I recently purchased a car. Before making my decisions, I conducted hours of research. I read so many reviews that former customers wrote about the automobiles. I thought long and hard before making my final decision. I love my new car! Consequently, it was the car that had the most positive reviews. I figured if so many people were happy with the car, chances are that I would be happy also. That’s when I realized the power of reviews.

Customer reviews are great influencers. Most people are honest about their experiences. They give insight on the product, the price, the customer service, the return policies and everything that you ever wanted to know ( and some things that you need to know) about your purchase. ‘

My sister googles everything before she buys it. She is a super shopper. I was in a thrift store with her and she pulls out her phone, looks up the thing she wants to buy and finds the reviews. If it’s good, she buys it, If not, she leaves it. I have watched her make choices simply on what others have said about the product. Reviews are the real power, not the price or name brand. It’s about what others think.

What do you think? What influences you to use a service, make a purchase or try something new?