The DHARMA of Online Reviews. Do you follow it?

Over the last decade, e-commerce has evolved significantly, becoming a cornerstone of modern trade and commerce. Online stores now empower thousands of small businesses with strong products, services, or ideas to overcome challenges posed by conventional business channels, offering quick exposure to a global audience. This phenomenon is akin to how platforms like YouTube have helped discover hidden talents and transform them into sensations. E-commerce provides the same transformative potential for businesses, and one of its most critical pillars is customer reviews.

The Role of Reviews in E-Commerce

Reviews are essential for online stores, often determining whether a potential buyer completes the purchase. They also help maintain the e-commerce ecosystem’s integrity, encouraging competition and rewarding sincere sellers who prioritize quality and customer satisfaction. Conversely, unscrupulous sellers, who neglect these aspects, struggle to establish themselves. However, there’s a darker side: genuine businesses sometimes suffer unfairly due to poor ratings and reviews, with many instances of abuse by individuals with vested interests, and attacks by competitors. 

The Bias in Customer Reviews

People's behavior toward reviews varies significantly. Many good samaritans hesitate to leave negative feedback even if they have a poor experience, while some use negative reviews as leverage to arm-twist businesses. Interestingly, these same individuals often neglect to leave positive reviews when they’ve had a brilliant experience.

Sincere sellers often plead for positive reviews, which are challenging to obtain, while disgruntled customers may readily leave detailed negative feedback. These long reviews consequently tend to gain more traction, often overshadowing a multitude of positive ones, creating an unbalanced perception. For example, courier companies are frequently criticised online for delays and mishandled shipments, but when deliveries are made promptly and securely, praise is seldom shared.

Accountability Through Reciprocal Review Systems

In many industries, reciprocal review systems encourage accountability. For example, consumer credit agencies, like India’s CIBIL, rate users on financial prudence, influencing credit eligibility. Similarly, app-based taxi services implement two-way ratings, where both drivers and riders review each other, ensuring mutual accountability. Riders with low ratings often face longer wait times or find it harder to secure services compared to others. Unfortunately, no such equilibrium exists in e-commerce. 

Encouraging Fairness in Reviews

To address this, we propose a simple self-check: ask yourself, “What is my fairness score as a consumer?” Imagine your fairness score as the average rating you’ve given sellers. For every two-star rating for a bad experience, leaving ten five-star ratings for positive experiences would result in a healthy score of 4.7. This isn’t about precise calculations but fostering awareness of whether you’re acknowledging positive experiences adequately. Additionally, we believe that rating aggregators, such as Google, travel portals, or Amazon, should display the average rating given by each user, creating transparency about their reviewing habits. If a user consistently gives negative ratings and crosses a set threshold, platforms should implement mechanisms to prevent them from leaving further negative reviews. Maintaining a high fairness score is easy: balance your negative reviews by celebrating the positive ones.

As makers and sellers of authentic handwoven textiles, we at HolyWeaves understand the immense value of positive reviews. They are a source of joy and encouragement for businesses of all sizes. We feel deeply grateful for the incredible reviews our Studio in Benares and online store have received, with our scores ranking among the highest in the industry. Yet, we remain ever so mindful of potential misuse within the system and have faced instances where unethical individuals have exploited it for ulterior motives. 

In conclusion, while honest negative feedback is necessary, it’s equally crucial to highlight positive experiences. Striking this balance not only fosters fairness but also supports deserving sellers in thriving. We urge you, as responsible members of the e-commerce ecosystem, to review sellers who bring a smile to your face and earn your right to critique those who fall short. Whether it’s a hotel, restaurant, courier service, saree store, or any other business, let’s uphold the dharma of online reviews and raise our own fairness scores as online shoppers.

PS: At HolyWeaves, we deeply appreciate our customers who’ve taken the time to share their love and encouragement through reviews. If you’ve missed doing so in the past and wish to now, please visit https://www.holyweaves.com/pages/reviews  and click on the “Write a Review” button. Thank you!

If you liked our post, and would like to see more such original content, please do leave a comment before leaving.