The Old Playbook Is Broken

For years, the review strategy playbook was simple: collect as many reviews as possible. More reviews meant more social proof. But the game has changed, and merchants still playing by the old rules are losing.

The Collection Era (2010-2020)

The last decade was all about collection:

This worked when customers primarily shopped on your site and on-site reviews were trusted. But that world no longer exists.

Why Collection Alone No Longer Works

Market Saturation: Every merchant collects reviews now. Customers are review-fatigued, response rates are plummeting, and collection costs are skyrocketing.

Changed Shopping Behavior: 94% of customers start on Google, not your site. Multi-platform validation is standard, and third-party trust is now a requirement.

The Distribution Revolution

The focus has shifted from quantity to visibility. The old question was "How many reviews do we have?" The new question is "Where can customers find our reviews?"

Smart merchants are now:

Implementation Strategy

1. Audit Your Current State: Map where reviews exist vs. where customers search

2. Identify Platform Priorities: Focus on platforms your customers actually use

3. Develop Distribution System: Automate the multiplication process

4. Monitor and Optimize: Track visibility metrics, not just collection rates

The merchants winning today aren't necessarily those with the most reviews—they're those whose reviews appear everywhere customers look.