We’ve compiled this comprehensive list of online review statistics and facts to help inform our Canadian readers just how beneficial online reviews can be. So, if you’re interested in learning more about the influence and overall effects of online reviews, please continue reading!
Top 10 Online Review Statistics for Canada
- 91% of surveyed respondents read at least one review before purchasing a product.
- 73% of consumers only care about reviews from the last month.
- Only 48% of consumers are interested in dealing with businesses with less than four stars.
- The latest online review site statistics show that 59% of people read reviews on Google.
- 37.33% of Canadians feel online reviews strongly influence their shopping choices.
- 72% of Canadians read book reviews online or in printed media.
- Most Canadians lose trust in a retailer after reading a bad review.
- 61.6% of Canadians say that outdated reviews don’t impact their purchasing decisions.
- 97% of consumers use online sources to shop locally.
- 74% of consumers try to avoid digital advertising.
Online Review Statistics for North America
Do you want to know the true power of online reviews? Below we’ll look at some stats that pertain to the North American market and show you precisely how important they can be.
1. According to business review statistics, 91% of surveyed respondents read at least one review before purchasing a product.
(Bizrate Insights)
This data comes from a study of more than 1,200 online shoppers regarding the importance of ratings/reviews and how they affect their shopping choices.
Moreover, when given a choice between loyalty programs, coupons, a high review/rating, or free shipping, most of those surveyed stated that a high review/rating is the main factor in deciding which product or service they will purchase.
2. 36.4% of people read between one and three reviews before buying.
(Bizrate Insights)
As many as 31% claimed to read around four or six reviews before deciding on an item. However, according to the statistics for online reviews trust, most people read between one and six before buying a product.
Furthermore, as many as 23.7% read more than seven reviews, 14.6% read more than ten, and unsurprisingly, only 8.6% don’t read any reviews at all.
3. 73% of consumers only care about reviews from the last month.
(BrightLocal)
Even though the previous online review statistics show that they are significant, this stat tells us that not all of them matter as much. What’s more, 86% of people only look at reviews from the last three months.
Interestingly, half of the consumers consider only the ratings from the past two weeks relevant. So, it’s apparent that a constant flow of new reviews is crucial for businesses to be competitive in today’s market.
4. Online review statistics from 2020 showed that 93% read online reviews for restaurants.
(Bright Local)
The second most popular industry customers typically read online reviews about was the hotel and bed and breakfast industry (90%). They were followed by medical and healthcare institutions (89%), automotive services (87%), and clothing stores (87%).
5. Based on the latest statistics on people who use online reviews, 59% read them on Google and 57% on Amazon.
(Bizrate Insights)
People generally read reviews on Google and Amazon. However, the same research states that one of the most popular write-in review sites was Reddit, the notable online forum with as many as 52 million active users.
Other popular write-in response sites are YouTube and unbiased product testing sites like Consumer Reports and the Better Business Bureau.
6. Statistics about trust indicate that only 48% of consumers are interested in dealing with businesses with less than four stars.
(Bright Local)
This number is incredible, as it effectively means that if a business has less than a four-star rating, it’s missing out on half of its potential customers. The situation is even worse for those with less than three stars, as only 19% of people would consider using their services.
Canadian Online Review Statistics for 2022
Now that we’ve seen how online reviews and ratings can impact shoppers and businesses in North America, let’s take a look at some figures to find out just what role online reviews play in Canada.
7. According to online review trends, 37.33% of Canadians feel that they strongly influence their shopping choices.
(Statista)
This stat from a survey of 31,856 respondents (14 years and older) conducted between 2018 and 2019 also states that 31.53% of Canadians are neutral when it comes to online reviews, and 31.11% feel that the reviews do not affect their shopping decisions at all.
8. 96% of Ontarians are influenced by online reviews, the highest percentage in all provinces.
(The Drum)
Even though Ontarians seem to be influenced by reviews the most, the rest of Canada is not far behind. We know this because online review and rating statistics indicate that 80% of Canadian consumers are at least somewhat affected by online customer reviews.
(Online Business Canada)
Many companies are now working with social media influencers to help sell their products. It’s one of the most economical and effective ways to target a specific demographic.
Furthermore, a 2019 survey by PayPal revealed that 62% of Canadian social shoppers were more inspired by influencers’ holiday recommendations than in-store promotions.
These rating and review statistics are essential for online businesses, especially when you consider that the average Canadian spends as much as $1,276 during the holiday season alone.
10. According to a 2017 survey, 80% of Canadians are looking for truthful and authentic reviews.
(The Drum)
These online review statistics on Canada by the Innovative Research Group and Heartbeat Analytics also reveal that as many as 81% of Canadian shoppers want to trust online reviews. However, most of this group (78%) would like the retailers to take a bolder stance on ensuring that the reviews are honest and authentic.
11. Statistics about online reviews reveal that 72% of Canadians read book reviews online or in printed media.
(Book Net Canada)
It seems that most Canadians like to read online reviews before deciding which book to purchase. Still, they tend to discover interesting reads through various other sources. For example, 46% of them find new books based on recommendations from others.
12. Statistics on online reviews show that 68% of Canadians lose some of their trust in a retailer after reading a bad review.
(The Drum)
This figure was designated to consumers from 45 to 49 years old and especially true for Atlantic Canadians. Moreover, the respondents stated that if they read a product rating, testimonial, or review that they believed to be biased or deceitful, their trust in the company is lost.
13. 61.6% of Canadians say that old and outdated reviews have no impact on their purchasing decisions.
(Caddle)
A customer can use online reviews and statistics to try and make the best choice before purchasing an item or service. However, old reviews are rarely the ones they trust. Only 8% of Canadians say that older reviews influence their final decision, while 30.4% even say they minimize the chances they’ll buy the product.
14. 92% of Canadians say they would prefer to buy from a company they trust, even if the price is slightly higher.
(Ipsos)
This data is fascinating, as these online review statistics for Canada imply that positive ratings and reviews can have a powerful influence over the customer, often more than the price itself.
However, that doesn’t mean that businesses should increase their prices too much because only slight differences are acceptable as half of Canadians predominantly make purchases based on the product’s price.
15. 44% of Canadians agree that their trust in brands has gone down during the COVID-19 pandemic.
(Ipsos)
The latest online review statistics and demographics show that of this number, only 9% strongly agree with this statement, while 35% somewhat agree. Moreover, 86% of Canadians say that they would trust a company more if it were transparent about COVID-19 cases at their store and followed all the suggested coronavirus protocols.
Additional Online Review Facts and Stats on Customers’ Preferences
Now that we’ve shown you many compelling stats about online reviews let’s take a closer look at some facts and stats that are bound to entertain you or at least put a smile on your face.
16. 74% of consumers try to avoid digital advertising.
(Edelman)
Notable 2019 consumer review statistics show that most people avoid digital advertisements by using ad-blocking software, changing their media habits, paying for streaming services, and finding any other way to prevent most ads.
17. Online reviews’ impact on sales from 2020 reveals that customers will typically spend 31% more on companies with excellent ratings.
(Retail Insider)
On the opposite end of the spectrum, only as few as four negative reviews can lower sales by 70%. Moreover, the importance of online reviews from 2020 shows us that it’s not only beneficial to receive positive reviews, but they can be detrimental to having a successful business.
For example, 35% of Canadians choose to stop dealing with a brand after reading negative reviews.
18. Most shoppers, 43% of them to be exact, trust text reviews over video and images.
(Yotpo)
Although images and video are popular ways to both advertise and review products online, interestingly, only 33% of shoppers trust photos, and just 24% trust video. Text-based reviews still influence people’s purchase decisions most.
The Bottom Line
These online review statistics clearly show how essential online reviews are in the modern world dominated by the Internet. Businesses crave them, and customers constantly read and rely on them.
We hope that these stats have been entertaining and that you now fully realize the power and influence of online reviews. After all of our research, we certainly do!
FAQ
What percentage of customers read online reviews?
The latest numbers say that as many as 93% of customers read online reviews before deciding on purchases.
These numbers are relatively the same across the board. For example, according to online review stats from 2016, 91% of respondents from Canada, the US, and the UK have stated that they read online reviews of local businesses.
It seems that we are quickly approaching a time when everyone will be reading online reviews before deciding what to buy.
(The Drum) (Business Queensland)
What percentage of all online reviews are fake?
Even though most people today read online reviews, it seems that many of them are, in fact, inaccurate or entirely false. According to fake online reviews statistics from 2019, as much as 39% of all online reviews are unreliable.
The worst offenders are the writers of apparel reviews, where 46.2% are fake and home decor (45.6%). However, the same research says that the numbers are the most favourable for books, where only 22.9% of online reviews are unreliable.
(PCMag)
What percentage of customers write reviews on a website?
Only 5% to 10% of people who shop on e-commerce sites actually leave reviews. These critical shoppers influence a massive industry that generates $2 trillion in sales, so, if you were wondering, yes, your review matters!
However, statistics on the power of online reviews from GlobalWebIndex paint a different picture. They tell us that around half of all internet users in the world post online reviews at least once a month.
(USA Today) (GlobalWebIndex)
How important are customer reviews for online marketing?
Now that you’re aware that as many as 93% of all customers read reviews before buying, it’s likely clear to you that customer reviews are an essential part of online marketing for every business today.
But they are not only necessary because they can influence people to make a purchase. Online review statistics also show us they matter because businesses can now learn what customers think about their products and improve their brand’s visibility on the web.
Sources:
- Bizrate Insights
- Book Net Canada
- Bright Local
- Business Queensland
- Caddle
- Edelman
- GlobalWebIndex
- Ipsos
- Online Business Canada
- PCMag
- Retail Insider
- Statista
- The Drum
- The Drum
- Yotpo
Nemanja Petkovic
A driven content specialist and copywriter, Nemanja takes pride in the fact that he was among the first to find success as a content writer in his hometown. Now, many years later, writing is his profession and calling—something he loves and will never stop doing. By regularly following the trends in SEO and content marketing, writing every day on a variety of topics, he consistently strives for improvement and new challenges—never failing to provide top-quality content for his readers.
