For a long time, customer product reviews have played a very critical role in both the world of manufacturing, and the entire industry of retail. From quality inspections, to in-store surveys and “mystery shoppers,” these forms of feedback have shaped the entire business on every level. However, while the data is sometimes used correctly, it is often misapplied in real-world scenarios. In fact, one of the biggest drains on retail marketing spending is the constant search for the next buying trigger, but when the wrong analytics are used in determining them, it’s money poorly spent. Sometimes the best approach is to retrace the steps that were taken, and look at information with a more commonsense approach, especially as online shopping becomes more prevalent.

While more traditional modes of collecting customer reviews have long been a staple in the business, they are becoming more noticeable on the pages of Internet based shopping sites, and even in other forms of online marketing that were once only thought of as one way channels of delivery to the end user.

Consumer brand websites are projected to carry product reviews right on their pages, with up to 80% of retailers surveyed giving indications that they will become regular featured items on these on line retail sites by the end of 2010.

Another interesting point to consider is the rapidly changing notion that negative publicity will bring an operation to its knees, as the escalating scale of content on the Internet has produced numbers that become softer every month, and the effects of negative reviews are perceptibly less damaging.

In many instances, shoppers are discovering that they no longer need to turn to trusted advisors within their own network or social circle, but rather search the comments of dozens or even hundreds of shoppers who post their reviews online. A lot of shoppers will actually be more likely to believe what a customer review says, because the person doing the review represents a lifestyle or characteristic that the shopper is trying to achieve for himself.

“The ritual of checking out product reviews has become something of a ritual for shoppers these days,” says Henry Kuai, a shop keeper with retail stores in the USA and China. “I do it all the time, too. In fact, I hardly ever ask my own family what they think of something before I make my purchase. It’s just not convenient, when I have all the information right in front of me anyway. Also, the buyers are pretty much just like me, so why not listen to their opinions?”

There is a dark side to the joys of being mindful of customer-generated reviews, though. With access comes new methods to lead consumers astray, simply by producing content that is inauthentic or fabricated. This has also seen a rapid increase, as sellers who have not invested in properly executing their own surveys and customer response pages can easily fake the information with a few minutes a day on their computers.

Many shoppers express mixed feelings about a review’s authenticity, and there are new sites appearing daily to expose the false information, as rapidly as it appears.

Merchants are advised by most experts to be aware of the positive and negative aspects of customer reviews, as well as the methods to build trust and brand recognition amongst their own customers.