Impact of Online Product Reviews Towards Purchase Decision among the Buyers in Palayamkottai

Abstract

Purpose: This study aims to explore and analyse how online product reviews influence the purchase decisions of consumers in Palayamkottai. With the rapid growth of e-commerce and digital platforms, online reviews have become crucial sources of information for potential buyers. This study aims to understand the extent to which these reviews affect consumer behavior, trust, and final buying decisions within the local context of Palayamkottai. This study examined the level of awareness and reliance on online product reviews among consumers in Palayamkottai. This study helps assess whether demographic variables such as age, gender, income, and education moderate the impact of online reviews on purchase decisions. This study provides insights for online retailers and marketers on how to leverage product reviews to improve consumer trust and increase sales in the region.
Methodology: This study adopts a descriptive research design to analyse the impact of online customer reviews on purchase decisions. It is based on subjectivity rather than objectivity, process-oriented rather than results-oriented, and content-oriented rather than results-oriented. The impact of online reviews is involved, and the situation is based on experience formation. A questionnaire was created to collect the required data, which were accumulated efficiently. Both primary and secondary data were used in this study. Convenient sampling was used to collect data and examine the impact of online reviews of customers on purchase decisions. The sample size of the study was 77. A convenient sampling method was used to select a sample of 77 respondents for the study. Statistical tools used for this study are simple percentage analysis, weighted average method, Garrett’s ranking method , one sample t test, t test and ANOVA
Findings: Respondents’ opinions on the level of satisfaction with online reviews are not equal to the average level. Specifically, the mean scores for helpfulness, accuracy, and reliability of online reviews were above average, whereas the mean scores for availability and overall impact of online reviews were below average. This suggests that respondents are generally satisfied with the quality of online reviews but are less satisfied with their availability and overall impact, highlighting the need for businesses to improve these aspects to increase customer satisfaction and loyalty. There was no significant difference between male and female respondents regarding the factors that influence their purchase decisions using online reviews. The p-values for all statements were greater than 0.05, suggesting that the differences between male and female respondents were not statistically significant. There were no significant differences among the age groups regarding the factors that influence respondents’ purchase decisions using online reviews. The p-values for all statements were greater than 0.05, suggesting that the differences among the age groups were not statistically significant. This implies that respondents across different age groups are influenced by similar factors, such as authenticity and trust, overall rating and trends, and detailed feedback, when making purchase decisions using online reviews, highlighting the similarities in decision-making processes among age groups.
Future research Direction: This study is limited to Palayamkottai in the Tirunelveli district, India, and focuses on online shoppers in this region. It explores the impact of online reviews on purchase decisions for various products, including electronics, clothing, groceries, and beauty products. This study examined online reviews from multiple sources, such as e-commerce platforms, social media, and review sites, providing a snapshot of online shoppers’ behaviour and attitudes at a particular point in time. Therefore, the findings may not be generalisable to other regions, populations, or contexts.