The easier it is for users to manipulate the data, the better. Being able to sort the reviews by photo/video, top contributors and most helpful are important features. As a consumer, I also personally find it helpful to know reviewers’ age range, location and shopping frequency to see how their experience might compare to mine. For clothing, it’s super important to be able to rate the item overall, on quality and on fit.

I think it would be interesting for consumers to be able to view each other’s profiles, similar to Yelp. When taking into account someone’s review, I’m always curious if that person generally leaves negative reviews, always leaves positive reviews or is somewhere in the middle. Building more of a community through their website can help retailers foster greater brand loyalty by allowing their consumers to better connect with one another.

Online reviews would be extremely useful in stores. Our studies have shown that young people value peer reviews over the touch and feel of a product, so the combination would be a killer. Amazon’s bookstores do that now and although execution is still a question mark, it will be important to figure it out and get them into the brick-and-mortar component.

I love Meaghan’s suggestions. Another is to take advantage of the many video reviews and how-to’s emerging in droves on YouTube. It’s become a cultural norm for many to search across the litany of “YouTube Stars” to get feedback from self-proclaimed subject matter experts on certain topics and products. Why not harness them for the other review options? It would require brave transparency, but if folks are seeking them out anyway, why not?

Most e-commerce site reviews follow a common format which leaves much to be desired. Tapping new approaches to add value to consumer reviews is a low-cost investment in customer retention and increased sales. As has been discussed on RetailWire before, stacking great numbers of reviews that lack quality doesn’t help shoppers — something I’ve seen happen when purchasers are incentivized to leave reviews. So providing intelligent options and flexible means for shoppers to evaluate other users’ feedback is a necessity for sellers that invest in other UX refinements. The ideas Tom presented are a great start!

I’ll add another suggestion: publish the date the review was created. That negative review could have been written two years ago and the product or service might have changed materially since then.

The more information an online review can provide, the better for the potential consumer. More than ever, consumers are looking for third-party reviews (endorsements). If the system allows for details, such as the shoe example (shows it runs small, narrow, etc.), the customer can make a more informed decision. Number one, it creates a real expectation. Number two, it will cut down on returns.

Another great function of an online review is an opportunity for the company to engage with the customer. If there is a bad review and the company responds, it will show the consumer how well (or not) a company handles complaints and problems. I’ve seen some review websites in other industries that don’t allow for the company to respond. In my mind, that’s a huge mistake and unfair for the company.

I love the sorting function. This is especially useful for clothing and shoes, where there are a few standard ratings such as fit (runs large/small), quality and, say, arch support. These are the dimensions that prospective buyers are looking for.

Adding a “Was this review helpful? Y/N” radio button to product reviews could be a good way to build trust. Reviewers who get consistent high ratings could then be elevated to star status, while obvious fakes can be demoted below the fold.

People look for what they want to find. By sorting reviews you allow them reinforce what they already believe.

Retailers can increase positive response with notes of gratitude and gifts (larger purchases). Clients will reciprocate with kind words that you can quote.

Clients appreciate those who appreciate them.