B2B ecommerce Customer Reviews: Are They Necessary? Why reviews matter and tips on how to use them to help your business More than fifty percent of customers look at online reviews before making a purchasing decision. While most studies about customer reviews focus on B2C ecommerce, it is vital to remember that B2B buyers are B2C customers and consumers too. They expect and search for those customer reviews, just as much, if not more, when they are making purchasing decisions for a business. B2B ecommerce reviews matter and it’s important that your B2B business knows that. Below are some more reasons why reviews matter for B2B ecommerce businesses and tips on how to handle them. Trustworthiness One of the main reasons reviews matter for B2B ecommerce is because customers tend to trust unbiased opinionated reviews more than the marketing collateral and case studies that you send them. Even if a study has been conducted by an outside research firm, buyers may still be wary because they think you are only going to tell them what they want to hear. Since reviews, especially on third party sites, can’t be altered or changed by a business, B2B buyers know that they are getting truthful stories and opinions about what it’s like to work with your B2B business and how well your products actually work. They Show How Much You Care Potential clients and customers aren’t just looking at reviews, they are also looking at your responses (or lack thereof) to them, especially negative ones. Responding to negative reviews on your site, as well as third party review sites, in a polite manner, trying to explain your company and rectify bad situations shows customers that you care enough to help a dissatisfied customer even after they have paid. Sometimes your lack of response to negative reviews about your business says more about your company than the review itself. Tips on Handling Reviews Give Customers an Outlet on Your Site - Some customers love to leave reviews, plain and simple. Giving your customers a voice and asking them to leave a review on your site helps you see what is being said, provides you with original content, and gives you a chance to respond and remedy any bad situations. Ask for Reviews at the Right Time - While B2C ecommerce sites tend to ask for reviews as soon as the customer receives the product, it isn’t so cut and dry for B2B businesses. You need to determine the amount of time it will take for the buyer’s business to get accustomed to and use the product. You want to time your request for a review so that they have gotten a chance to understand what a product does and see what it and your business is capable of doing. Check Third Party Sites Often - You need to frequently check what is being said about your B2B ecommerce business on third party sites. Seeing what buyers are saying and responding to negative reviews keeps your business informed and in control. Checking often will ensure that a negative review isn’t posted for too long and too many other buyers see it before you have the chance to respond. Clarity Can Help For nearly a decade, Clarity has been helping B2B ecommerce businesses succeed. We focus on providing B2B businesses with the latest ecommerce technologies and customize them to work for each individual business. Our team of experts has helped numerous B2B clients improve their sites, revenue and reviews. To see what Clarity can do for your B2B business, call or click to contact us today!