Consumer Preferences Company Advertising or Online Reviews

Question: Discuss about the Consumer Preferences Company Advertising or Online Reviews. Answer: Customer buying decisions are often influenced by both company advertising and online reviews. For some personal reasons, customers tend to show preference to one at the expense of the other. This paper seeks to identify what consumers trust the most. I order to make an accurate conclusion; I will make use of both qualitative and quantitative data. This will help to determine the most preferred without any bias. Advertising is a marketing approach which entails efforts made by a specific company to promote its goods or services. In advertising, the company creates audio or visual messages which are delivered to the public. The company pays for these services, and they are non-personal. These messages are communicated through newspapers, magazines, journals, radios, televisions, text messages, websites, blogs and the popular social media platforms. Advertisements are known to persuade customers into buying goods and services even at inflated prices[1]. Think of that product which is always on the television screen, every radio channel is talking about it, and you have seen it in several magazines. Who would not pay attention to this and even go an extra mile to buy it? Individuals tend to be convinced that these are the best products and often prefer them to the products which are never advertised. We tend to trust these products more especially when they feature in our favorite channels or magazines. Online reviews refer to the comments made by individuals outside the business institution. In most cases, these comments are written by customers after using the product in question[2].Reviews are based on the user experiences and may either be positive or negative. Negative comments put off some potential customers while positive ones attract more customers which translate to higher sales. According to a survey conducted by Bright Local in 2014, ninety percent consumers read online reviews and eighty-eight percent of them trust online reviews[3]. Positive reviews act as convincing agents who attract more customers. Reviews and ratings help consumers to make decisions faster and with more confidence especially if the comments are bound to experience. However, online reviews are not very efficient to be relied on. They influence customer preferences and personal decisions. Similarly, they may lead to delayed purchasing as one needs to consider a range of online reviews to make a decision. Both advertisements and online reviews are market trends aimed at improving sales by seeking attention from the public. A major difference between the two is the source whereby advertisements are by the business itself while online reviews are by customers. The degree of preference of the two by customers is however different. In the contemporary status, online reviews tend to be gaining popularity as compared to advertisements. This is prompted by the improved technology. Buyers are moved by the comments made by experienced users of a given product. They are quite certain that if the product worked best for a given customer, it would be good for them. The heightening popularity of the online review platforms also describes the increasing use of online reviews to determine to buy [4]. The internet provides a common space for interaction among consumers which influences both consumer behaviors and company sales. References Anderson, M. (2014, July 7). 88% Of Consumers Trust Online Reviews As Much As Personal Recommendations. Retrieved April 18, 2017, from Third Door Media: searchengineland.com/88-consumers-trust-online-reviews-much-personal-recommendations-195803 Ho-Dac, N., Carson, S., Moore, W. (2013). The Effects of Positive and Negative Online Customer Reviews: DO. Journal of Marketing, 15(34), 1-30. Lpez, M., Sicilia, M. (2014). Determinants of E-WOM Influence: The Role of Consumers Internet Experience. Journal of Theoretical and Applied Electronic Commerce Research, 9(1), 28-43. Thompson, D., Malaviya, P. (2013). Consumer-Generated Ads: Does Awareness of Advertising Co-Creation Heip or HurtPersuasion? Journal of Marketing, 77(13), 33-47. Thompson, D., Malaviya, P. (2013). Consumer-Generated Ads: Does Awareness of Advertising Co-Creation Heip or HurtPersuasion? Journal of Marketing, 77 (13), 33-47. Ho-Dac, N., Carson, S., Moore, W. (2013). The Effects of Positive and Negative Online Customer Reviews:Journal of Marketing, 15 (34), 1-30. Anderson, M. (2014, July 7). 88% Of Consumers Trust Online Reviews As Much As Personal Recommendations. Retrieved April 18, 2017, from Third Door Media: searchengineland.com/88-consumers-trust-online-reviews-much-personal-recommendations-195803 Lpez, M., Sicilia, M. (2014). Determinants of E-WOM Influence: The Role of Consumers Internet Experience. Journal of Theoretical and Applied Electronic Commerce Research, 9 (1), 28-43.