Online reviews decide on purchase of products and services
People buy what they think is good: This is how the online purchasing behavior of the Swiss can be described according to a survey by Xeit. According to the agency, the relevance of online reviews will continue to increase.
The study with over 1,000 participants shows that the relevance of online reviews is increasing: 99 percent of respondents said they find out about the product or service on the Internet before making a purchase - at least from time to time. 82 percent even do this always or almost always. This percentage is thus up 3 points on the previous year (79 %).
The Internet facilitates access to ratings and reports on the experiences of other customers - which is why they are becoming increasingly important in connection with purchasing decisions. Whereas in the past it was mainly the recommendations of the immediate environment that counted, today countless reports from the most diverse clientele are available on various online platforms.
Google is the first port of call
For just over half of respondents (53 %), the central point of contact for reviews is Google, followed by reviews on the company website (39 %). There was an exciting change here compared to 2020, when 64 percent said they looked at reviews directly on the website (Google: 62 %). In addition, almost one in five (24 %) now obtains information via YouTube.
Reviews as part of the marketing strategy
Xeit assumes that the relevance of online reviews will continue to increase. Public feedback on purchasing experiences is not limited to a product, but often also relates to the entire service associated with the purchase of a product or the use of a service. This also includes, for example, the advice given in a store or after-sales activities.
Many and, above all, good reviews can have a significant influence on whether the company or product in question is considered by customers. Therefore, measures to generate and monitor customer reviews should definitely be on the marketing agenda.
Other survey results at a glance
- A majority is neutral or positive about advertising on the Internet. However, the question of the most popular advertising format divides the generations.
- A large proportion of respondents subscribed to one or more newsletters.
- For generations Y and Z, ordering food over the Internet is completely normal.
- Every third person already uses a voice assistant or wants to do so in the future.
- More than half of Spotify users use the free version with advertising.
Xeit has the Survey on the online consumption of Swiss* citizens conducted in August and September 2021 using an online panel. 1,028 people participated, with the age and gender distribution of the sample corresponding to Swiss demographics.
