Manage & Collect
Why Customers Write Negative Reviews & 11 Ways To Prevent Them
February 15, 2022
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3 min read
At REVIEWS.io, we offer a wide range of collection and publishing tools for good reason: no two businesses are the same. That’s why it’s important to tailor your review strategy based on the kind of trust your customers need - and when they need it.
In this guide, we’re focusing on two key parts of that strategy: what reviews to collect, and where to place them on your website for maximum impact. We’ll walk through the types of reviews available, their ideal placements, and how different industries can leverage them most effectively.
While every business is different, there are some common patterns that can help guide your review collection efforts. Let’s start with Company Reviews.
Company Reviews give a broad overview of your business performance. They typically mention things like:
These reviews help build an immediate sense of trust and legitimacy. When customers see that others have had a smooth, positive experience with your brand, they’re far more likely to move forward.
We recommend that every business collects Company Reviews.
Whether you’re a small startup or an established brand, this type of feedback adds instant authority. It gives visitors a high-level sense of who you are before they dive into individual products or services.
The homepage is the most important location. That’s where most first impressions are made, and first impressions count.
Beyond the homepage, Company Reviews can be used throughout the site to reinforce trust at every stage of the customer journey.
Consider integrating them:
For businesses where trust is absolutely essential - like law firms, financial services, or travel agencies - a dedicated Company Reviews page is a strong option. It gives you space to show off full reviews, star ratings, and other social proof in a focused, high-impact format.
Product Reviews provide more specific feedback. These reviews usually focus on:
They help customers make informed choices and reduce uncertainty at the decision stage.
Any business that sells multiple products or services should collect Product Reviews, not just physical goods.
For example:
If you offer a variety of items or experiences, Product Reviews help guide customers toward the best fit for their needs.
Directly on the product pages, near the product description. This is where customers are comparing options and looking for confidence before purchasing.
Don’t shy away from publishing less-than-perfect reviews either. A balanced mix of feedback actually builds more trust. If a product isn’t quite right for someone, it's better they find that out early - leading to fewer returns and higher long-term satisfaction.
If your products are visually appealing or lend themselves well to real-life demonstration, user-generated content - particularly visual reviews - can have a huge impact on trust and conversions.
Unlike studio shots, UGC shows products in the hands of real people. It’s authentic, relatable, and persuasive. For eCommerce brands, authenticity builds confidence and creates stronger connections with your audience.
Any brand with products that people want to see in context can benefit from visual UGC.
This includes:
If your product has a “real life” wow factor, UGC helps you show it off through the lens of your customers.
Thanks to REVIEWS.io’s publishing tools, you can seamlessly integrate UGC across your site for both inspiration and conversion:
With tools like UGC Manager and UGC Publish, REVIEWS.io makes it easy to gather, organize, and share authentic content across key customer touchpoints. Whether it’s customer-submitted images, Instagram tags, or video testimonials, UGC gives you marketing assets that speak louder than polished ads ever could.
Appleyard London is a boutique London florist that specialises in having professionally-arranged flowers delivered. They’ve done a great job integrating customer feedback across their site.
On the homepage, they display their overall star rating in multiple places, alongside review counts and the REVIEWS.io logo, creating a powerful trust signal from the outset.
On product pages, they combine the star rating with full written reviews. This helps customers validate their choices with both visual and contextual information.
Photo Reviews add another layer of trust. While Appleyard’s studio images are polished and beautiful, seeing real-life arrangements submitted by customers offers authenticity that resonates more strongly with potential buyers.
Japan Ski Experience is a company offering a range of ski accommodation across Japan. They pride themselves on their local expertise and brilliant customer care. In the high-stakes world of holiday bookings, trust is everything.
On their homepage, Japan Ski Experience showcases Company Reviews to establish credibility. Travel is a competitive industry, and customers want assurance before making a big commitment.
On individual accommodation pages, they display Product Reviews - sharing stories, opinions, and firsthand experiences from past guests. This helps potential customers visualise their trip and feel more confident booking.
Load-Up is a junk removal company that deploys a large network of professional, insured removers. They pride themselves on offering upfront, transparent pricing and try to operate in the most environmentally-friendly way possible. They focus exclusively on Company Reviews, and use them to great effect.
On the homepage, they feature aggregated review scores from multiple platforms using a Reviews.io badge widget, along with prominent star ratings.
On the About Us page, they display full-length Company Reviews, giving visitors a deeper understanding of the service experience. This is especially valuable for a business built on trust, transparency, and reliability.
Inspired Pharma Training is a company offering first-class pharmaceutical training courses both online and in the classroom. They use a dual-review strategy to showcase both company-wide credibility and the quality of individual offerings.
Company Reviews are used to reinforce the overall reputation of the business - especially helpful for first-time visitors considering an investment in training.
Product Reviews are displayed on each course page, providing detailed insights about:
This approach helps prospective students feel confident in both the company and the specific course they’re interested in. It’s particularly effective in B2B education, where buyers compare not just providers, but individual offerings.
The most effective review strategy isn’t about collecting the most reviews, it’s about collecting the right types of reviews and placing them where they matter most.
To summarise:
Each of these contributes to a smoother, more confident customer journey.
At REVIEWS.io, we can help you create a tailored review strategy based on your business needs. Book a demo today to make your customer feedback work harder for you.
