The research, from ratings and review platform Feefo, explored people’s shopping habits and what would make them buy a product or service. 

People were asked how often they checked for reviews when buying an item or service that they had not previously bought or from a supplier they had not used before. Eighty five percent of people said that they always checked reviews before making a purchase under these circumstances. 

They were then asked what would make them most likely to make a purchase and, given a list to choose from, rated ‘an appealing discount or promotion’ as most likely ( 79%), followed by ‘good reviews’ ( 75%), recommendations of parents ( 47%), celebrity endorsements ( 41%) and recommendations of friends ( 36%). 

“Of course we know how valuable reviews are, but the fact that they come out as more influential than the recommendations of family, friends & celebs is going to be a surprise to many," said Andrew Mabbutt, CEO at feefo.com.

"It’s clear that people are more trusting & eager to get recommendations from real consumers who have first-hand experience, and reviews provide a reliable way to gauge the quality and value of a product or service.”