\ Prompted vs. Unprompted Reviews How the Source of the Reviews Impacts Ratings, Credibility, and Purchase Likelihood WHAT WE FOUND: 1. Verified buyers give higher ratings Are all reviews created equal? To answer this question, we looked at data related to reviews submitted by the two primary types of reviewers: verified buyers 2. Selection bias and social influence (i.e., prompted reviews) and anonymous reviewers (i.e., unprompted reviews). bias shape how people write reviews In analyzing this data, we explored three key questions: 3. Reviews from verified buyers are 1. Do star ratings vary depending on the source of the reviewer? perceived as more credible and have a greater impact on sales 2. If so, what causes the ratings to vary between the groups? 3. Does one type of review have a greater impact on shoppers’ purchase behavior? Verified buyer (i.e., prompted reviewer): For this study, verified buyers are considered consumers who make a purchase online and receive a post-purchase email asking them to review their purchase. Anonymous reviewer (i.e., unprompted reviewer): Anonymous reviewers are those whose purchase cannot be confirmed through an online sales transaction linked to a review prompt. 13 \ How Online Reviews Influence Sales \ spiegel.medill.northwestern.edu