Internet shoppers place "incredible" importance on user reviews

As more people than ever before use their broadband connection to go shopping, an web expert has underlined the "incredible" importance of reviews and ratings from other users.

Ben Camm-Jones, news editor of internet magazine Web-User, said user-generated content (UGC) such as the product reviews and comments on sites like Amazon is popular with internet users because people "trust what other people say".

He added that the influence of UGC is such that "any sensible online retailer" is now asking their customers to leave ratings or appraisals of their products.

According to a 2007 survey from Coremetrics, 58 per cent of website marketers had added UGC to their site in the past year, while 50 per cent planned to add it in the coming year.

"It is incredible the amount of importance your average consumer places on these sort of things," Mr Camm-Jones commented.

According to the Global Online Survey by Nielsen, 97 per cent of the UK's internet users have shopped online.