Welcome Shoppers’ Questions About Negatives

Even the most biting review of your retail business can bring profitable attention. Research supports this argument, with the condition that you openly welcome shoppers asking you about any of the points in the review.
     A set of studies at Georgia Institute of Technology and University of Pennsylvania plotted the relationship between controversy about a topic and the interest of people in talking about that topic. The finding is that as the amount of controversy increases, people do want to talk about it more.
     Thus, even a negative review of your business can draw people to tune into your social media channels and come into your restaurant, clinic, office, or store to hear your retort. Actually, consumers who are having a difficult time selecting between alternatives appreciate—and may even seek out—criticism of one of the products or stores. This helps the consumer make the decision.
     But this upward slant lasts only so long. When the degree of controversy reaches a certain tipping point, interest in discussion is outweighed by discomfort at even thinking about the matter. “My gosh! I ate at Guy’s American Kitchen & Bar last month, and now I learn that a New York Times restaurant reviewer, no less, asked, ‘Does this make it sound as if everything at Guy’s American Kitchen & Bar is inedible?’”
     In these cases, you’ll want to pull back the discomfort so the interest in discussion again surfaces and you can make your points.

• As a retailer, acknowledge the negative review. Researchers at European University Viadrina find that when a salesperson does this, the shopper becomes more likely to trust everything the salesperson says. But keep the words and logic simple. The researchers find that if there’s too much complexity, the shopper won’t hook the talk of negative information to the salesperson’s credibility. 
• Offer a liberal money-back guarantee known about and trusted by the shopper. Research findings from University of California-Berkeley and Hebrew University of Jerusalem indicate that if your store does this, any negative reviews become much less important to making the sale. Then for any return, ask the customer the reason. This improves merchandising and curbs fraud. Make it a service-oriented inquiry, not an inquisition. Keep questions brief. If a customer asks, “Why do you need to know this?,” reply, “So we can do a better job of stocking the right merchandise for your needs.” 

For your profitability: Sell Well: What Really Moves Your Shoppers

Click below for more: 
Negate the Social Risk of Negative Reviews 
Restrain Your Overreaction to Criticism 
Encourage Reviewers to Identify Themselves