The Power Of Review And Rating Sites in UAE, KSA: YouGov Study
As the world becomes more digitalised, online reputation can be the strongest asset or the biggest liability. This is because online reviews matter and are often used by consumers as their informants before making important decisions. YouGov’s latest study reveals the power of review and rating sites (like Google Reviews, Glassdoor, etc.) and the trust […]
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As the world becomes more digitalised, online reputation can be the strongest asset or the biggest liability. This is because online reviews matter and are often used by consumers as their informants before making important decisions. YouGov’s latest study reveals the power of review and rating sites (like Google Reviews, Glassdoor, etc.) and the trust that people have in them.
More than two-thirds (67 per cent) of residents trust review and rating sites in UAE, while only 5 per cent indicated distrust. Similar attitudes are held by the KSA public, where 62 per cent showed confidence in these sites, and a minimal number said they do not trust them (3 per cent).
Interestingly, men compared to women are more likely to trust these sites in both UAE (70 per cent men vs 63 per cent women) and KSA (63 per cent vs 59 per cent).
Notably, a sizable proportion of consumers in both countries haven’t made up their minds about these sites and remain undecided about their reliability (27 per cent in KSA and 24 per cent in UAE).
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When it comes to checking the reviews or ratings of different products and services, KSA residents (48 per cent) were more likely than people in UAE (44 per cent) to turn to online critics in the past 12 months while deciding for a place to eat (restaurants, cafes). Even for products like household appliances (37 per cent in KSA & 27 per cent in UAE) and makeup and personal care (29 per cent vs 18 per cent), consumers in KSA seem to be more reliant on websites for reviews and ratings than those in UAE.
Today, finding a worthwhile movie to watch has become easier than ever with the help of movie review sites like IMDB, Rotten Tomatoes, etc. More than a third in KSA (35 per cent) and a slightly lesser proportion in UAE (28 per cent) claim to have checked audience reviews of movies before deciding to watch them.
Like movies, app ratings and reviews also significantly impact a consumer’s decision to download an app. Compared to people in the UAE, residents in KSA are more likely to check app reviews (38 per cent vs 31 per cent). However, when it comes to healthcare providers, UAE residents claim to be more dependent on public opinion on review sites than their Saudi counterparts (28 per cent in UAE vs 17 per cent in KSA).
Furthermore, in the past 12 months, almost a fourth (24 per cent) in UAE- and one in five (19 per cent) in KSA have headed to sites like Glassdoor to find reviews and ratings of their potential employers.
Also Read: Do Consumers Trust Social Media Influencers?
With vaccination efforts ramped up and travel resuming, people can finally look forward to their travel plans. Sites like TripAdvisor, Travel Expedia, etc. played an important role in shaping up the holiday plans of people in UAE and KSA, as many claims to have used them (in the past 12 months) for either researching travel accommodations or hotels (30 per cent in UAE and 25 per cent in KSA) or finding suitable travel destinations or attractions (27 per cent in UAE and 25 per cent in KSA).
The pandemic has brought about changes in the way consumers shop and consume services. The lockdowns and subsequent absence of in-store shopping during the pandemic might have made people more reliant on reviews from current consumers. Apart from the products and services mentioned earlier, consumers claim to have accessed review websites for Tech products (23 per cent in UAE vs 20 per cent in KSA), video games (16 per cent vs 22 per cent), vehicle models (27 per cent vs 26 per cent), banks and financial products (30 per cent vs 23 per cent), fashion products/accessories (25 per cent vs 24 per cent), books (16 per cent vs 21 per cent) and educational institutes (22 per cent vs 18 per cent).
Data also shows that an overwhelming majority of respondents in both UAE and KSA find these sites to be useful. The numbers are more pronounced in the UAE as compared to KSA (83 per cent vs 79 per cent).
