Amazon has shown customer reviews and ratings for years. Many other retailers have followed suit. So, a vital question is: What is a good online rating score for a retailer or a specific product? The results of a recent study may surprise you, since a 5.0 out of 5.0 rating is NOT the one eliciting the most customer purchases.

As reported by Retail TouchPoints:

“While every retailer pushes for perfect ratings to illustrate the effectiveness of their products, these ideal ratings may not be optimal for sales. On a scale of one to five, the likelihood of purchase peaks for products with an overall average star rating between 4.2 and 4.5, according to research from Northwestern University.”

“Above 4.5, purchase likelihood drops as the rating approaches five stars. Five-star reviews actually are often considered ‘too good to be true’ by the consumer. As counter-intuitive as that logic may seem, negative reviews can have a positive impact because they help establish trust and authenticity with the consumer.”