Recently, we’ve had some of our customers say, “Channel Signal is missing reviews. We have 35 reviews on this product on Amazon and you have registered only 30. What’s up with that?”
Our reply; “Amazon made a change. They now allow consumers to leave just ratings in the form of a star average and skip writing product reviews. They say it’s faster, more efficient and still rates the product. We don’t collect reviews without text. Consumers are looking for a storyline that matches their need. They can’t find it with just a star average.
Here are three reasons why Amazon’s star average is not enough:
1. A simple star doesn’t provide the WHY. Here’s an example of what shoppers are looking for: “I am a gym rat and do lots of HIIT and strength training. After years of wear and tear on my body, I developed hip pain. I have very flat feet and need arch support. These shoes fit well, I no longer have hip pain and I can wear them all day and my feet feel wonderful. Very happy with my purchase.”
Can you get that kind of information from a star average? Nope.
2. If you are a brand, review text from consumers tells you what to fix and what to leverage with marketing. When consumers give a product a low star rating with low volume that product needs to go straight, and I mean straight, to product development to fix it or take it off the market. Likewise the killer products need to be reported to both marketing and sales. Marketing needs to stop trying to buy Lebron James and start leveraging the good things consumers are writing about your home runs. A heads-up to sales about the new winners, means they, by instinct, will sell the heck out of it.
3. Often times a star rating has no bearing on the review. For example, a shopper might hate the product, but love the brand and leave a high star average. This is no use to the shopper.
A product review without text is like a joke without a punch line. Both tie the story together.
