Show Imperfect Reviews

Perfect ratings are overrated — literally.

Customers are more persuaded by reviews with moderately high ratings (4 to 4.5 stars; Maslowska, Malthouse, & Bernritter, 2017). And they prefer reviews with benefits and drawbacks (Doh & Hwang, 2009).

...providing consumers with positive information followed by a minor piece of negative information appears to enhance their overall evaluations of a target (Ein-Gar, Shiv, & Tormala, 2012, p. 855.)

Imperfect reviews also boost the credibility of reviewers (Jensen, Averbeck, Zhang, & Wright, 2013).

• Doh, S. J., & Hwang, J. S. (2009). How consumers evaluate eWOM (electronic word-of- mouth) messages. Cyberpsychology & behavior, 12(2), 193-197.
• Ein-Gar, D., Shiv, B., & Tormala, Z. L. (2012). When blemishing leads to blossoming: The positive effect of negative information. Journal of Consumer Research, 38(5), 846-859.
• Jensen, M. L., Averbeck, J. M., Zhang, Z., & Wright, K. B. (2013). Credibility of anonymous online product reviews: A language expectancy perspective. Journal of Management Information Systems, 30(1), 293-324.
• Maslowska, E., Malthouse, E. C., & Bernritter, S. F. (2017). Too good to be true: the role of online reviews’ features in probability to buy. International Journal of Advertising, 36(1), 142-163.