Consumer Products and Reviews

In 2025, online reviews are one of the strongest drivers of trust and conversion for consumer products, from gadgets to skincare. Around 98% of shoppers read reviews before buying, turning them into a default step in the purchase journey. As more time and spending shift online, real experiences from other buyers feel more honest than polished ads.

Review volume is exploding: one large study found a 13% increase in review numbers in 2024 alone, as more people share experiences for everyday purchases. Google now receives about 81% of all online reviews, making it the central hub for checking product and local business reputations. For shoppers, this means fewer places to look—but also more need to read carefully.

Many consumers are moving beyond simple star ratings and focusing on detailed written experiences instead. Surveys show growing segments of people say star ratings alone don’t decide their choice; they read deeper into why someone liked or disliked a product. This shift reflects a more objective, research-style mindset: shoppers want context, not just scores.

Longer, more descriptive reviews are becoming the norm—over 80% of reviews now include written comments, up from previous years. These details answer real questions: fit, durability, ease of use, shipping issues, or customer service quality. When comparing products, looking for recurring themes (for example, “great sound but weak battery”) is far more useful than comparing 4.3 vs 4.4 stars.

Even as people rely heavily on reviews, trust in them has softened compared with personal recommendations. One survey found that while most consumers still read reviews, far fewer now say they trust them as much as a friend’s advice. This tension—high usage but cautious belief—pushes shoppers to double-check across multiple sites and formats such as text plus video.

Younger shoppers especially lean on high review counts and Google’s ecosystem, with Gen Z more likely to fully trust businesses that have many reviews and to rank Google Reviews as most trustworthy. At the same time, consumers are more open to writing both positive and negative feedback than before, which helps balance the picture. A good rule for any product: ignore one-off extremes and focus on patterns across many buyers, dates, and platforms.

Visual user-generated content—customer photos and videos—is now a major factor in deciding what to buy. Seeing a product in real homes, on real bodies, or after months of use gives a level of authenticity studio photos can’t match. Younger audiences show a particularly strong preference for visual reviews, widening the gap between brands that encourage images and those that don’t.

Behind the scenes, AI tools increasingly scan thousands of reviews to find sentiment trends, repeat product issues, and feature requests. Platforms use this to help brands improve products and highlight the most relevant reviews for shoppers. For consumers, this often shows up as smart filters, auto-sorted “most helpful” reviews, or summarized pros and cons—useful shortcuts, but still worth checking against the raw comments.

To choose better consumer products fast, start by scanning the overall rating and review count, then jump straight into detailed written reviews. Sort by “most recent” to see if quality has changed over time, and filter for 3–4 star reviews, which often give the most balanced pros and cons.

Next, check customer photos and videos to confirm color, size, and build quality in real life. Finally, glance at how the brand responds to criticism—many businesses now respond to over 70% of reviews, and thoughtful replies signal they take issues seriously. Combining these steps turns raw review noise into a clear signal, so you can buy with confidence instead of guesswork.