Products

EMARKETER delivers leading-edge research to clients in a variety of forms, including full-length reports and data visualizations to equip you with actionable takeaways for better business decisions.
PRO+
New data sets, deeper insights, and flexible data visualizations.
Learn More
Reports
In-depth analysis, benchmarks and shorter spotlights on digital trends.
Learn More
Forecasts
Interactive projections with 10k+ metrics on market trends, & consumer behavior.
Learn More
Charts
Proprietary data and over 3,000 third-party sources about the most important topics.
Learn More
Industry KPIs
Industry benchmarks for the most important KPIs in digital marketing, advertising, retail and ecommerce.
Learn More
Briefings
Client-only email newsletters with analysis and takeaways from the daily news.
Learn More
Analyst Access Program
Exclusive time with the thought leaders who craft our research.
Learn More

About EMARKETER

Our goal is to unlock digital opportunities for our clients with the world’s most trusted forecasts, analysis, and benchmarks. Spanning five core coverage areas and dozens of industries, our research on digital transformation is exhaustive.
Our Story
Learn more about our mission and how EMARKETER came to be.
Learn More
Methodology
Rigorous proprietary data vetting strips biases and produces superior insights.
Learn More
Our People
Take a look into our corporate culture and view our open roles.
Join the Team
Contact Us
Speak to a member of our team to learn more about EMARKETER.
Contact Us
Newsroom
See our latest press releases, news articles or download our press kit.
Learn More
Advertising & Sponsorship Opportunities
Reach an engaged audience of decision-makers.
Learn More
Events
Browse our upcoming and past events, recent podcasts, and other featured resources.
Learn More
Podcasts
Tune in to EMARKETER's daily, weekly, and monthly podcasts.
Learn More

A Five-Star Rating and Recommendations from Strangers? Take My Money

Ratings and reviews matter a great deal during the shopping process. Not only can they influence a purchase—or steer consumers to one store over another—but they can also get shoppers to spend more than they intended, according to a November 2018 study from tech provider TurnTo.

The study found that if consumers were looking at two similar products—with a price difference of $2—73% of US internet users would be swayed toward the more expensive product with a higher rating. And if consumers didn’t see a review or a rating on the retailer’s site? Many (76%) would be less inclined to buy anything.

Most consumers turn to reviews to better understand a product's quality. Understandably, shoppers don’t want to spend $80 on a slow cooker that’ll break down after a month. That’s why they heavily rely on reviews—like one from Joe Smith, who wasn’t satisfied with his slow cooker—to better inform their purchasing decisions.

In general, many consumers find product performance reviews to be the most helpful, followed by reviews about a product’s value, in addition to how well it holds up over time.

For the most part, consumers turn to Amazon first for product reviews—before Google, a brand’s site or even social media. That was also the case in a study conducted by Salsify last year, which found that more than half (51%) of US digital buyers trust Amazon the most for useful product information.

“People go to Amazon for reviews because that’s where we buy the most stuff,” said eMarketer principal analyst Andrew Lipsman. “More buyers and products means a higher volume of reviews, many of which are in-depth and provide the level of assurance shoppers want before they make a purchase. As more purchases beget more reviews, and more reviews beget more purchases, this creates a virtuous cycle for Amazon that helps explain why the company owns almost 50% of the US ecommerce market today.”