Bad reviews stick. They remain in your mind more than the good ones ever will.
Experts Say
Expert Take 1 – Negativity Bias & Consumer Trust
Research shows shoppers notice negative reviews more. A meta‑analysis reported that negative feedback drops trust by ~33%, while positive only boosts it ~18% allure.com+15redalyc.org+15onlinelibrary.wiley.com+15. Psychological studies call this the “negativity effect”—bad news is more diagnostic and stands out more in our minds en.wikipedia.org.
Expert Take 2 – Online Shopping Patterns
A 2022 eye‑tracking study found shoppers lean into bad reviews to assess risks—especially for utilitarian goods—because people believe negative info is more valuable than praise frontiersin.org. The same study shows our brains process negative reviews more deeply than positive ones when making a purchase.
Our Take
Shoppers instinctively trust bad reviews more. Why? Two reasons. One, risk: humans hate losses and negative info warns of danger. Two, credibility: a wall of glowing reviews feels suspect. But there’s nuance: experts show negativity bias stronger among knowledgeable buyers; novices rely more evenlyallure.com+15onlinelibrary.wiley.com+15bjcbranding.com+15. So context matters.
3 Action Steps
- Show them the whole picture
Let bad reviews breathe. Don’t filter or hide them. Provide a curated set: “Top positive, top negative, most helpful.” Use an algorithm to surface 1‑star and 5‑star comments. Transparency builds legitimacy. - Frame negatives as insights
Add tags like “delivery delay noted” or “small fit – consider sizing up.” Help customers see you’re serious—not scared. This reframes complaints-as-data. Even automate this: sentiment‑analysis tools can tag common themes. - Respond publicly with solutions
If someone complains about a flaw or slow service, reply: “We fixed that in April—here’s proof.” Show reviews are living documents, not tombstones. It rebuilds trust and shows you care—and that viewers will read.
Bad reviews hit harder. But that’s a golden opportunity. Show all, highlight problems smartly, and respond fast. That’s how you turn negativity into trust.
Written By Vanessa Manvelyan
