What Percentage of Consumers Read Online Reviews Before Buying?
Only 4% of consumers say they 'never' consult reviews when researching businesses.
Data current as of February 2026
Between 93% and 99% of consumers read online reviews before making a purchase, depending on the study methodology and consumer segment. The most widely-cited research from BrightLocal’s 2025 Local Consumer Review Survey found that 96% of consumers are open to reading reviews, with only 4% saying they “never” consult reviews when researching businesses (BrightLocal | 2025).
This statistic has remained remarkably consistent over the past decade, though how consumers engage with reviews has evolved significantly. While overall review reading remains near-universal, the 2025 data reveals a notable shift: consumers are becoming more selective about which reviews they trust, expecting fresher content and reading across multiple platforms before making decisions.
For local businesses, this means reviews aren’t optional—they’re the first thing potential customers check. Let’s break down exactly what the research shows about consumer review behavior in 2025 and 2026.
Key Statistics at a Glance
Read reviews before buying: 93-99% of consumers (Multiple sources | 2024-2025)
Read reviews regularly: 71% of consumers (BrightLocal | 2025)
Never read reviews: Only 3-4% of consumers (BrightLocal | 2025)
Trust reviews like recommendations: 42-49% of consumers (BrightLocal | 2025)
Use Google for reviews: 85% of consumers (BrightLocal | 2025)
Gen Z seeking review sites: 87% specifically choose sites with reviews (PowerReviews | 2023)
*All figures represent verified data from cited research studies
The Core Statistics: How Many Consumers Read Reviews?
Different research methodologies produce slightly different numbers, but all point to the same conclusion: virtually all consumers engage with reviews at some point in their purchase journey.
Review Reading Frequency
BrightLocal’s 2025 survey breaks down review reading into frequency categories:
- •29% “always” read reviews when browsing local businesses
- •42% “regularly” read reviews
- •25% “occasionally” read reviews
- •4% “never” read reviews
This means 71% of consumers read reviews regularly (always + regularly), while 96% read them at least occasionally (BrightLocal | 2025).
Notably, this represents a slight decrease from 2024, when 75% read reviews regularly. The shift suggests consumers may be relying on other signals (like AI summaries or social proof) alongside traditional reviews (BrightLocal | 2025).
Source: BrightLocal Local Consumer Review Survey | 2025
Review Reading by Generation
Younger consumers are significantly more likely to seek out and rely on reviews than older generations. The generational gap is substantial:
Sources: PowerReviews (2023), Starfish Reviews (2024)
Gen Z is the most review-dependent generation. According to PowerReviews, 87% of Gen Z consumers specifically seek out ecommerce websites that display customer reviews, and 58% won’t purchase a product if there are no reviews available (PowerReviews | 2023).
Review recency also matters more to younger consumers. According to PowerReviews, 44% of Gen Z won’t purchase if reviews are more than 3 months old, compared to 40% of Millennials and lower percentages for older generations (PowerReviews | 2023).
Where Consumers Read Reviews: Platform Usage
Google dominates the review landscape, but consumers are increasingly checking multiple platforms before making decisions.
Platform Market Share (2025)
Source: BrightLocal | 2025
Key trends in platform usage:
- •Google rebounded from 81% (2024) to 85% (2025)
- •Facebook continues declining year-over-year since 2022
- •Trustpilot growing with consistent year-over-year increases
- •TikTok and AI tools both at 6%, down from 9% in 2024
Importantly, 74% of consumers check at least two review sources before making a purchase decision, with 40% specifically using two websites and 27% using only one (BrightLocal | 2025).
Trust in Online Reviews
Consumer trust in online reviews has evolved significantly. While reviews remain highly influential, trust has declined notably from its peak.
Trust Comparison: Reviews vs. Personal Recommendations
- •2020: 79% trusted reviews as much as personal recommendations
- •2025: 42% trust reviews as much as personal recommendations
- •That’s a 37-point decline over 5 years (BrightLocal | 2025)
This decline is likely driven by increased awareness of fake reviews. In 2025, 46% of consumers are suspicious of AI-written reviews (up 6% from 2024), and 42% are suspicious of paid or incentivized reviews (BrightLocal | 2025).
However, younger consumers maintain higher trust levels. Among 18-34 year olds, 91% trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations (Capital One Shopping | 2024).
What Makes Consumers Trust Reviews
Consumers have specific criteria for trusting reviews. Understanding these factors is critical for businesses seeking to build credibility.
Review Quantity Requirements
- •33% expect 20-49 reviews minimum to trust a business
- •10 reviews is the average number consumers read before trusting a business
- •43% prefer products with over 100 reviews (DemandSage | 2025)
Star Rating Requirements
- •55% require a minimum 4-star rating to consider a business
- •92% are likely to choose businesses with at least 4-star ratings
- •76% trust reviews more when they’re mixed (not all 5-star) (Capital One Shopping | 2024)
Review Recency Requirements
- •22% only read reviews from the past 2 weeks
- •26% only read reviews from the past month
- •83% believe reviews only hold value if recent and relevant (BrightLocal | 2025)
Impact on Purchasing Decisions
Reviews don’t just get read—they directly influence purchasing behavior and business revenue.
The business impact is substantial: displaying customer reviews can boost sales by 19.8%, and verified buyer reviews increase conversion rates by an additional 15% (Capital One Shopping | 2024).
The Role of Business Responses
How businesses respond to reviews significantly impacts consumer trust and behavior.
- •89% expect businesses to respond to reviews (Backlinko | 2024)
- •88% would choose a business that responds to all reviews vs. 47% for non-responders (Synup | 2025)
- •56% have changed their opinion about a business after seeing management respond to reviews (Synup | 2025)
- •63% expect responses within 2-3 days to one week (BrightLocal | 2025)
Interestingly, in blind tests conducted by BrightLocal in both 2024 and 2025, consumers actually preferred AI-written responses over human-written ones, suggesting that well-crafted, professional responses matter more than whether a human or AI wrote them (BrightLocal | 2025).
Summary: Complete Review Statistics Reference
Sources & Methodology
This article synthesizes data from multiple authoritative research studies. All statistics have been cross-referenced where possible, with source and year noted for each data point.
Primary Sources:
- BrightLocal Local Consumer Review Survey 2025 - Survey of 1,141 US consumers on review reading habits and trust
- PowerReviews Survey 2023 - Research on generational differences in review behavior
- Capital One Shopping Research 2024 - Compilation from Northwestern University, Statista, and other sources
- Synup Online Review Statistics 2025 - Analysis of review impact on consumer behavior
- Chatmeter Consumer Survey 2024 - Generational research on review preferences
- Backlinko Online Review Statistics 2024 - Compilation of review platform usage data
Data current as of February 2026. Statistics are updated as new research becomes available.