There's no doubt that customer reviews inform consumers purchase decisions. Research from Nielsen reveals the strong influence of online consumer opinions–71% of global consumers trust them–but very little research is available that uncovers just how much of an impact this user-generated content can have on retailers’ bottom lines.

The Spiegel Research Center, a research division of Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications, wanted to fill this knowledge gap. Executive Director Tom Collinger and Research Director Ed Malthouse conducted several research projects on the effect of customer reviews on conversions. Their research explored how the number of reviews, the average star ratings, the price of the items reviewed, and several other factors impact the ultimate purchase decision.

In this podcast, we explore the actual impact of reviews on sales, and how retailers can increase conversions as much as 270%.