noun per·fec·tion \pər-ˈfek-shən\
A quality or condition that cannot be improved; The act of improving something so that it has no flaws. – Merriam-Webster
We talk a lot about product reviews on this blog. You could say it’s our thing. But just because we live to help brands measure their product reviews does not mean we recommend shooting for the stars (literally) at any cost. While it’s great to strive to improve your star average on a product, category, or overall brand basis, it’s akin to improving a marathon time. Perfection will never be reached.
Measuring product reviews is about more than achieving perfection in the eyes of your consumers. It’s about understanding what they think about your products, then broadcasting what they love and improving what they don’t.
There are two reasons a person would write a review:
- They want you, the brand, to hear what they have to say
- They want other shoppers to hear what they have to say
Both of these are reasons for brands to measure what is being said. But not with the goal of five stars. In fact, a study from the Wall Street Journal shows that purchase likelihood spikes at 4.5 stars, not 5. Why? Because buyers are realists. They don’t believe that utopian products exist. They read reviews to see both the good and the bad, and make a decision for themselves as to whether the product will fit their unique need.
In short, don’t strive for perfection, but always be measuring and improving.
