Influencing Purchase Decisions: The Role of Online Reviews and Ratings in the Textile Industry
Devinder Singh Hooda
Associate Professor,
Department of Economics,
Indira Gandhi University, Meerpur, Rewari, Haryana-India
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1026-2122
Corresponding Author
Dr. M. Iswarya
Assistant Professor,
Department of Management Sciences,
Hindusthan College of Engineering and Technology, Coimbatore
Assistant Professor,
Department of Management Sciences,
Hindusthan College of Engineering and Technology, Coimbatore
Dr S. Venkata Ramana
Associate Professor,
KL Business School,
Koneru Lakshmaiah Education Foundation,
KLEF (Deemed to be University),
Green Fields, Vaddeswaram, A.P.
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0199-3206
Dr Pratiksha Rai
Assistant Professor,
Department of Marketing,
Pune Institute of Business Management
Abstract
Recently, consumers have come to respect human recommendations just as much as they trust online evaluations, and many people consider ratings and reviews when making decisions. The primary objective of this study is to investigate the impact of online reviews and ratings on consumers' purchasing decisions for textile products. The study, conducted in the Jodhpur region of Rajasthan, employed purposeful sampling to select 457 respondents. The data was collected using a methodical questionnaire. According to the results, more than 65 per cent of shoppers stated they trusted online reviews. Their decision to buy is mostly influenced by verified purchasers' feedback and the general rating of textile items. Overall, 90 per cent of respondents said that customers' decisions to purchase textile items are significantly influenced by online evaluations and reviews.
Key Words: Online Reviews, Ratings, Purchase Decision, Textile Industry
Introduction
In the digital age, online evaluations and ratings have become an essential part of the consumer purchasing process, influencing decision-making across several sectors. As social media and e-commerce platforms grow in popularity, consumers are increasingly relying on peer evaluations to assess the reliability, value, and quality of products before making a purchase. According to research, online reviews significantly influence customers' buying decisions by reducing ambiguity and increasing confidence (Ahn & Lee, 2024). This is particularly true in the textile industry, where product quality, fit, comfort, and durability have a significant impact on customer decisions. Reviews offer crucial information that directly affects purchase decisions because customers are unable to visually assess fabric quality online (Mumuni et al., 2020).
The textile business is a fast-paced, fiercely competitive market that includes apparel, textiles, and fashion-related goods. Knowing what influences consumers' decisions to buy is crucial for businesses and merchants trying to draw in and keep the attention of increasingly tech-savvy consumers. Online reviews and ratings are particularly useful among these elements. Positive or bad customer feedback has the power to influence prospective customers' opinions and have a direct effect on sales. Furthermore, buyer perceptions are greatly influenced by the trustworthiness of evaluations; favourable reviews increase confidence and enhance purchase intent (Liu & Li, 2019). Online reviews and ratings are now just as trusted by consumers as word-of-mouth recommendations, and many use them as a major factor when choosing what to purchase (Chih et al. 2013). Businesses must understand how social media and e-commerce platforms impact consumer behaviour due to the vast amount of information available on these platforms. The subtleties of review dynamics, such as how ratings (e.g., high vs. low stars) and customer input (e.g., written reviews, images, and videos) impact purchase decisions, are especially important for textile enterprises to handle (Orfanidou, 2024). Since many companies have switched from conventional brick-and-mortar storefronts to digital-first models, the textile sector has experienced a tremendous transformation with the inclusion of online shopping platforms. The way that customers purchase textiles has changed due to the emergence of e-commerce behemoths like Amazon and specialised fashion and textile platforms (Berg & Knight, 2021). Online evaluations and ratings have become an increasingly important instrument for shaping customer perception and establishing credibility and trust in this fiercely competitive market.
Over 70% of buyers check reviews before making a purchase, and over 60% are more likely to select a company with favorable evaluations, according to research by Li, Liu, and Zhang (2020) (Hooda, D.S., 2019). These results demonstrate how customer behavior is dynamic and how important online reviews are in determining the competitive environment of the textile industry (Filieri, 2016).
This study looks at how customers' decisions to buy are influenced by internet reviews and ratings, particularly in the textile sector. It aims to comprehend how different elements, such the number and caliber of reviews as well as total ratings, affect consumers' perceptions and decisions while choosing textile items. The study intends to identify the connections between digital feedback and customer trust by examining consumer behavior in the context of online purchasing, demonstrating how these factors impact prospective buyers' decision-making processes.
Literature Review
Online reviews are user-generated information found on websites, platforms, and social media platforms where people express their thoughts and experiences regarding goods and services (Guo, Wang & Wu, 2020). These evaluations frequently contain textual comments, number ratings (such as 1 to 5 stars), and occasionally other material, such pictures and videos. Numerous studies that have looked at the direct relationship between online reviews and customer purchasing decisions in a variety of industries have found that reviews have a major impact on consumer attitudes and actions.
In marketing, psychology, and consumer behavior, the impact of online reviews on consumers' purchase decisions has grown in importance (Kim, Maslowska, & Malthouse, 2020; Hooda et al., 2024). Online reviews and ratings have become major factors in determining consumer behavior as the internet has transformed the retail environment, particularly in industries where physical and sensory experiences (such as fabric texture, fit, and color) are significant yet challenging to assess online. In this regard, research has examined how customers' perceptions and reactions to online reviews are shaped, as well as how these evaluations affect different phases of the decision-making process.
Online reviews, whether favorable or bad, have a big impact on consumers' intents to buy. Zhang & Wang (2021) discovered that while bad evaluations may have the opposite impact, favorable ratings raise the possibility of a purchase. Negative reviews, however, do not always discourage customers; rather, they may cause them to become more cautious and look for more favorable reviews to weigh their options. Numerous research, like Dahooie et al. (2021), have demonstrated the "balancing effect," which implies that both good and negative evaluations have a complex impact on purchase choices. While unfavorable reviews might point out places for development or raise issues that could warrant more thought, positive evaluations aid in boosting confidence.
The impact of unfavorable evaluations may be especially noticeable in the textile business, where fit, durability, and product quality are important decision-making factors. Reduced purchase intents may result from negative evaluations about size disparities, fabric feel, or color correctness, particularly if they are supported by particular specifics or visual content (El-Said, 2020).
Another important component affecting customer choices is the quantity of reviews. According to (Fernandes et al. 2022; Hooda & Kataria 2022), customers prefer to infer that a product with more reviews is more popular and has undergone more rigorous testing, which frequently results in a higher perceived product reliability. However, Kang et al. (2022) argue that a large number of reviews might cause "review fatigue," when consumers feel overwhelmed by the vast diversity of opinions and struggle to make a decision.
A large number of reviews in the textile sector might show that a product has been extensively tried and bought, giving it legitimacy. Chen and associates, 2022). This emphasizes the need of review quality, though, as a lot of poorly written or uninformative reviews could not give customers the precise information they require to make an informed decision on textile items.
Purchase decisions can also be influenced by the caliber of reviews, both in terms of supporting material and in-depth written content. According to Torabi & Bélanger (2022), thorough evaluations are more beneficial to customers as they offer more comprehensive information that facilitates decision-making. In the absence of direct product interaction, textile customers rely heavily on reviews that provide details regarding fabric quality, comfort, size, and washability.
Particularly when it comes to textile purchasing, it has been demonstrated that adding pictures or videos to evaluations increases their persuasiveness. Lahoti (2022) highlights the importance of visual material in evaluations, contending that it builds trust and improves authenticity. Concerns over a product's look, fabric quality, and fit can be allayed in the textile sector by using consumer-generated material that presents a product in diverse contexts or in real-life situations.
Online reviews also play a role in the social influence consumers experience during the purchase decision-making process. Nurhabibah, Savitri & Faddila (2022) describe how consumers often rely on others' behaviour or opinions in uncertain situations, a phenomenon known as herd behaviour. Consumers may feel more confident in their purchase decisions when they see that others have made similar choices or when products receive numerous positive reviews. Patil & Rane (2023) demonstrated that consumers are more likely to purchase products that have received high ratings or a large volume of reviews, even when they have no personal experience with the product. In the textile industry, positive reviews from peers can create a social proof effect. Consumers may be more likely to purchase a clothing item or fabric they see endorsed by others, especially when it aligns with their own tastes and needs.
Studies also suggest that the perceived credibility of the reviewer can influence the weight given to an online review. Sudirjo et al. (2023) found that reviews written by highly regarded or credible sources (e.g., verified purchasers, experts) are given more attention and trust than reviews from unknown users. In the context of textiles, reviews from "expert" sources, such as fashion influencers or textile specialists, may carry more weight than reviews from the general consumer population. Moreover, the reviewer's relatability plays a role in purchase decisions. Consumers tend to trust reviews from people who share similar characteristics or demographics. For example, reviews from individuals with similar body types or those who provide insights into fabric feel and fit can be particularly persuasive in the textile sector.
Confirmation bias is the tendency for consumers to be swayed by their preconceived notions and preferences. Customers are more likely to accept reviews that match their expectations and dismiss those that contradict their views, according to this bias. Arief, Mustikowati & Chrismardani (2023) suggest that consumers with a positive outlook on a particular brand may be more inclined to accept favourable reviews and ignore negative ones, and vice versa for consumers who are sceptical of a brand. In the textile industry, if a consumer already has a preference for a particular brand or style, they may place more trust in positive reviews that confirm the quality they expect, especially if those reviews focus on attributes like fabric softness, durability, or style accuracy.
Varga & Albuquerque (2024) found that emotional tone in reviews—whether a review is enthusiastic, neutral, or disappointed-can significantly affect consumer perceptions. Positive emotional expressions in reviews, such as excitement about product quality or satisfaction with fit, may evoke similar positive emotions in prospective buyers, thus influencing their purchase decisions. This emotional contagion effect is particularly relevant in the fashion and textile industry, where emotions related to style, comfort, and appearance play a large role in consumer choices.
Research Gap
Numerous businesses, including electronics, hotels, and food services, have thoroughly examined the influence of online reviews and ratings on consumer behavior. However, there is still a big knowledge vacuum regarding the precise influence of online reviews and ratings on purchase decisions in the textile industry. Even though e-commerce customer behavior has been extensively researched, the textile industry has particular traits and difficulties that call for a closer look.
This study attempts to close this gap by investigating how online reviews and ratings affect consumer purchase decisions in the textile industry. This study aims to comprehend how these elements affect consumer trust, purchase intent, and brand loyalty in the context of textile products by looking at a number of dimensions, including how customers perceive online reviews and ratings, how textile buyers make decisions about what to buy, and how these factors affect those decisions on textile products.
Objectives
The study looks at how consumers purchase online and how they evaluate online reviews and ratings. Additionally, the study analyzes how textile consumers make selections about what to buy and how internet reviews and ratings affect their choices.
Hypotheses
Methodology
This research examines how online reviews and ratings affect purchasing decisions for textile products, employing a descriptive research design.
Sampling: The population frame consisted of textile customers in the Jodhpur district, and 457 respondents were selected using the purposive sampling method.
Data Collection: Data has been collected by using a closed-ended questionnaire, which was divided into 5 sections, i.e. (a) demographic profile, (b) online shopping habits, (c) perception about online reviews and ratings, (d) purchase decision process and (e) role of online reviews and ratings in influencing the purchase decision of textile products.
Statistical Analysis: The data have been analysed in SPSS 21.0. For the interpretation percentage analysis, the mean, one-sample t-test, and chi-square test have been used.
Result and Discussion
Demographic Profile
Table 1 presents the demographic profile of the participants. The sample comprised a higher percentage of male participants (65.21%) compared to female participants (34.79%). The Jodhpur district includes both urban and rural areas. In the sample, 82.93 per cent of customers were from urban areas, while 17.07 per cent were from rural areas. As shown in Table 1, the clients were divided into five age groups. In particular, 12.91 percent of clients were under 25, 27.13 percent were between 25 and 35, 43.33 percent were between 35 and 45, 11.16 percent were between 45 and 55, and 5.47 percent were above 55.
Table 1: Demographic Profile of Customers
|
Gender |
N |
Percentage |
|
Male |
298 |
65.21 |
|
Female |
159 |
34.79 |
|
Total |
457 |
100 |
|
Area of Residence |
N |
Percentage |
|
Urban |
379 |
82.93 |
|
Rural |
78 |
17.07 |
|
Total |
457 |
100 |
|
Age |
N |
Percentage |
|
Up to 25 Years |
59 |
12.91 |
|
25 to 35 Years |
124 |
27.13 |
|
35 to 45 Years |
198 |
43.33 |
|
45 to 55 Years |
51 |
11.16 |
|
Above 55 Years |
25 |
5.47 |
|
Total |
457 |
100 |
Shopping Habits of Customers
Table 2 presents the shopping habits of customers. The majority of customers (63.24%) purchased textile products on a quarterly basis, followed by those who bought them monthly (27.79%). A smaller percentage bought textiles weekly (4.81%) or rarely (4.16%).
Further, respondents were asked how often they shop online for textile products. It was observed that 43.11 per cent of customers frequently purchase textile products online, while 49.89 per cent of customers occasionally shop for textile products online. Only 7 per cent of customers indicated the rare use of online shopping platforms for textile purchases.
Regarding the platform used for online purchases, it was found that Flipkart (76.81%) was the most popular online shopping platform for textile purchases, followed by Amazon (71.33%). Customers also indicated that they used brand websites (65.86%), eBay (61.05%) and social media (43.33%) for online purchases of textile products.
Table 2: Shopping Habits of Customers
|
How often do you purchase textile products (clothing, home textiles, etc.) |
||
|
Response |
N |
Percentage |
|
Weekly |
22 |
4.81 |
|
Monthly |
127 |
27.79 |
|
Quarterly |
289 |
63.24 |
|
Rarely |
19 |
4.16 |
|
Total |
457 |
100 |
|
How often do you shop online for textile products? |
||
|
Response |
N |
Percentage |
|
Frequently |
197 |
43.11 |
|
Occasionally |
228 |
49.89 |
|
Rarely |
32 |
7.00 |
|
Total |
457 |
100 |
|
Which platforms do you primarily use for online textile shopping? |
||
|
Response |
N |
Percentage |
|
Amazon |
326 |
71.33 |
|
Flipkart |
351 |
76.81 |
|
eBay |
279 |
61.05 |
|
Brand websites |
301 |
65.86 |
|
Social media (Instagram, Facebook, etc.) |
198 |
43.33 |
Customers’ perception of online reviews and ratings
When consumers were asked how essential they thought internet reviews were when making textile purchases, 16.19 percent of them said they were extremely significant, while 48.36 percent said they were somewhat important. When making selections about what textile items to buy online, 1.09 percent of consumers stated that online reviews are completely irrelevant, while 12.47 percent of consumers stated that they are somewhat unimportant (Table 3).
Before making a purchase, about 21.44% of consumers said they always check customer reviews. In contrast, the highest percentage of consumers (43.98%) examined customer evaluations frequently before making a purchase, while just 23.63% did so sometimes. Only 1.97% of consumers stated that they are not at all worried with customer evaluations, despite the fact that only 8.97% of them seldom check them before making a purchase (Table 3).
Customers were asked about the trustworthiness of online reviews. As per 16.63 per cent of customers, online reviews are very trustworthy, whereas 49.02 per cent of customers found them somewhat trustworthy. 10.72 per cent of customers found the online reviews somewhat untrustworthy, and 3.06 per cent of customers said that these are not trustworthy at all (Table 3).
Table 3: Customers’ perception of online reviews and ratings
|
How important are online reviews in your decision-making process when purchasing textiles |
||
|
Response |
N |
Percentage |
|
Very important |
74 |
16.19 |
|
Somewhat important |
221 |
48.36 |
|
Neutral |
100 |
21.88 |
|
Somewhat unimportant |
57 |
12.47 |
|
Not important at all |
5 |
1.09 |
|
Total |
457 |
100 |
|
Do you read customer reviews before making a purchase |
||
|
Response |
N |
Percentage |
|
Always |
98 |
21.44 |
|
Often |
201 |
43.98 |
|
Sometimes |
108 |
23.63 |
|
Rarely |
41 |
8.97 |
|
Never |
9 |
1.97 |
|
Total |
457 |
100 |
|
How much do you trust online reviews? |
||
|
Response |
N |
Percentage |
|
Very trustworthy |
76 |
16.63 |
|
Somewhat trustworthy |
224 |
49.02 |
|
Neutral |
94 |
20.57 |
|
Somewhat untrustworthy |
49 |
10.72 |
|
Not trustworthy at all |
14 |
3.06 |
|
Total |
457 |
100 |
Different customers consider different factors of online reviews important, so customers were asked to rank the aspects of online reviews they consider most influential on a scale of 1 to 5 (Table 4). The final ranking was obtained with the help of the mean score, as shown in Table 4. Customers said that reviews from verified buyers (mean=4.28, rank=1) influenced them most, followed by overall rating (mean=4.01, rank=2) and number of reviews (mean=3.87, rank=3). The factors of online reviews which least affect the customers’ purchase decision were the quality of reviews (mean=3.87, rank=4) and photos from customers (mean=3.32, rank=5)
Table 4: Aspects of Online Reviews
|
Factors |
Mean |
S.D. |
C.V. |
Rank |
|
Overall rating |
4.01 |
0.98 |
0.24 |
2 |
|
Number of reviews |
3.87 |
0.52 |
0.13 |
3 |
|
Quality of reviews (detailed vs. brief) |
3.57 |
0.69 |
0.19 |
4 |
|
Reviews from verified buyers |
4.28 |
0.74 |
0.17 |
1 |
|
Photos from customers |
3.32 |
0.81 |
0.24 |
5 |
The purchase decision process of textile customers
Customers were asked to indicate the most significant factor influencing their purchase decision, and the results are shown in Table 5. As per results, the quality of textile products (41.14%) influenced the customers most, followed by online reviews and ratings (32.17%) and brand reputation (16.19%).
Further, respondents were asked how likely they are to recommend a product to others after reading the reviews, and as a result, 22.10 per cent of customers said that they are very likely to recommend a product to others after reading the reviews. 32.39 per cent of customers said that they were somewhat likely to recommend the products to others after reading the reviews.
Table 5: Purchase decision process of textile customers
|
What is the most significant factor influencing your purchase decision? |
||
|
Response |
N |
Percentage |
|
Price |
42 |
9.19 |
|
Quality |
188 |
41.14 |
|
Brand reputation |
74 |
16.19 |
|
Online reviews/ratings |
147 |
32.17 |
|
Other |
6 |
1.31 |
|
Total |
457 |
100 |
|
After reading reviews, how likely are you to recommend a product to others |
||
|
Response |
N |
Percentage |
|
Very likely |
101 |
22.10 |
|
Somewhat likely |
148 |
32.39 |
|
Neutral |
98 |
21.44 |
|
Somewhat unlikely |
79 |
17.29 |
|
Very unlikely |
31 |
6.78 |
|
Total |
457 |
100 |
Role of online reviews and ratings in influencing the purchase decision of textile products
Respondents were given a list of statements to measure the impact of internet ratings and reviews on consumers' decisions to buy textile products, and they were asked if they agreed with those statements. Table 6 displays the level of agreement among textile customers regarding their purchasing preferences. Two statements highlighted that customers were more likely to buy textile products with higher average ratings: “I am more likely to buy a textile product with a higher average rating” and “Detailed customer reviews provided me with valuable insights that influenced my purchasing decisions.” Both statements received mean values of 4.24 and 4.21, respectively, indicating strong agreement. The respondents agreed with all other statements. In the opinion of textile customers of Jodhpur; online ratings and reviews were observed to be more influential than traditional advertising when it comes to purchasing textiles, online reviews significantly influence their decision to purchase textile products and positive reviews increase their willingness to pay a premium for textile products. Overall customers showed the significant impact of internet ratings and reviews on consumers' decisions to buy textile products.
Table 6: Role of online reviews and ratings in influencing the purchase decision of textile products
|
Statements |
Mean |
S.D. |
C.V. |
Level of Agreement |
|
My decision to buy textile items is heavily influenced by online reviews. |
4.01 |
0.69 |
0.17 |
Agree |
|
A textile product with a higher average rating is more likely to be purchased by me. |
4.24 |
0.74 |
0.17 |
Strongly Agree |
|
I get insightful information from thorough consumer reviews that helps me make judgments about what to buy. |
4.21 |
0.52 |
0.12 |
Strongly Agree |
|
Products with a lot of evaluations are the ones I want to purchase since they are dependable. |
3.47 |
0.38 |
0.11 |
Agree |
|
Before buying a garment, I frequently check reviews on several websites. |
3.85 |
0.29 |
0.08 |
Agree |
|
Photos from other customers in reviews significantly impact my purchasing decisions. |
3.74 |
0.42 |
0.11 |
Agree |
|
Online reviews help me set realistic expectations about the quality of textile products. |
3.59 |
0.61 |
0.17 |
Agree |
|
My desire to pay more for textile items is increased by positive feedback. |
3.88 |
0.88 |
0.23 |
Agree |
|
The majority of internet evaluations, in my opinion, are sincere and accurately represent the caliber of the goods. |
3.48 |
0.94 |
0.27 |
Agree |
|
Online reviews enhance my overall shopping experience in the textile industry. |
3.69 |
0.46 |
0.12 |
Agree |
|
Online ratings and reviews are more influential than traditional advertising when it comes to purchasing textiles |
4.17 |
0.79 |
0.19 |
Agree |
Table 7 shows how internet ratings and reviews affect consumers' decisions to buy textile products. Only 7.90 per cent of consumers indicated the low role of web reviews and ratings in influencing the purchase decision of textile products otherwise more than 90 per cent of the consumers (92.10%) said that there is a high role of web reviews and ratings in influencing the consumers' decisions to buy textile products.
Table 7: The overall impact of internet reviews and ratings on the choice to buy textile goods
|
Overall Role |
N |
Percentage |
|
Low |
36 |
7.9 |
|
High |
421 |
92.1 |
|
Total |
457 |
100 |
Although it has been proven that online reviews play a significant role in influencing online textile purchase decisions still to check the significance of this role following hypothesis has been taken:-
H01: There is no significant role of online reviews and ratings in influencing the purchase decision of textile products
Ha1: There is a significant role of online reviews and ratings in influencing the purchase decision of textile products
A one-sample t-test has been used to evaluate this hypothesis against the theoretical mean of 33. Online reviews and ratings have a considerable impact on consumers' decisions to buy textile items, as seen in Table 8, where the computed mean is greater than the theoretical mean and the t-statistic is significant.
Table 8: Result of one-sample t-test
|
Variable |
Test Value = 33 |
t- value |
p-Value |
Result |
|
|
Mean |
S.D. |
||||
|
Overall Role |
42.26 |
2.59 |
76.43 |
0.000 |
Significant |
Level of Significance=5%
To check the impact of customers’ demographic variables on their opinion following hypothesis has been taken: -
H02: There is no significant difference in customers’ opinions about the role of online reviews and ratings in influencing the purchase decision of textile products, concerning their demographic variables
Ha2: There is a significant difference in customers’ opinions about role of online reviews and ratings in influencing the purchase decision of textile products to their demographic variables
The chi-square test results to verify the aforementioned hypothesis are displayed in Table 9. Given that all of the chi-square statistic's values are significant, it may be inferred that, with regard to their demographic factors, customers' perceptions of how online ratings and reviews influence their decisions to purchase textile items varied significantly.
Table 9: Customers' perceptions in which internet reviews and ratings affect their choice to buy and their demographic profile
|
Gender |
Overall Role of Online reviews |
Chi - Statistic |
p-value |
|
Result |
||
|
Low |
High |
Total |
|
||||
|
Male |
16 |
282 |
298 |
7.426 |
0.006 |
|
Significant |
|
Female |
20 |
139 |
159 |
|
|||
|
Total |
36 |
421 |
457 |
|
|||
|
Area of Residence |
Overall Role of Online Reviews |
|
|
|
|
||
|
Low |
High |
Total |
|
||||
|
Urban |
11 |
368 |
379 |
75.737 |
0.000 |
|
Significant |
|
Rural |
25 |
53 |
78 |
|
|||
|
Total |
36 |
421 |
457 |
|
|||
|
Age |
Overall Role of Online Reviews |
|
|
|
|
||
|
Low |
High |
Total |
|
||||
|
Up to 25 Years |
3 |
56 |
59 |
116.802 |
0.000 |
|
Significant |
|
25 to 35 Years |
3 |
121 |
124 |
|
|||
|
35 to 45 Years |
5 |
193 |
198 |
|
|||
|
45 to 55 Years |
10 |
41 |
51 |
|
|||
|
Above 55 Years |
15 |
10 |
25 |
|
|||
|
Total |
36 |
421 |
457 |
|
|||
Level of Significance=5%
Discussion
According to the findings, the majority of consumers buy textile goods on a quarterly basis and rarely or often shop online. The two most well-known online retailers for textile purchases are Flipkart and Amazon. Approximately 50% of the customers stated that they frequently check customer reviews prior to making an online purchase and that these evaluations are crucial to their decision-making. Over 65% of consumers said they trusted internet reviews.
Their purchasing decisions are mostly influenced by verified purchasers' feedback and the overall rating of textile items. Over 90% of consumers (92.10%) stated that internet reviews and ratings had a major impact on their decision to buy textile products. The results of the hypothesis test also showed how important internet reviews are in influencing consumers' decisions to buy textile products. According to the results of the chi-square test, consumers' opinions on how internet reviews and ratings affect their purchases of textile products differ significantly depending on their demographic characteristics.
The study's findings offer significant new insights into how online reviews and ratings affect customer decisions in the textile industry. The finding that consumers shop every quarter reflects the cyclical nature of clothing purchases and the influence of seasonal fashion trends. According to Putri & Hadi (2024), many consumers tend to shop for textiles and fashion items during key sale periods, such as quarterly or seasonal transitions, influenced by marketing campaigns and personal needs. The preference for Flipkart and Amazon as the most popular platforms further supports the growing trend of large online retailers dominating the e-commerce landscape, as these platforms have built robust reputations for convenience, reliability, and variety, which is consistent with findings by Zhang, & Wang (2021), who noted that e-commerce platforms like Amazon dominate consumer decision-making due to their wide product offerings and user-friendly interfaces.
The importance of internet reviews in the decision-making process has been well-established in the literature. According to study by Li, Liu, and Zhang (2020), consumers' purchase decisions in a number of industries, including textiles, are significantly influenced by online reviews. The finding that 50% of consumers respect online reviews is consistent with the "social proof" idea, which maintains that consumers rely on the experiences of others when making decisions about what to purchase (Cialdini, 2001).
The high trust in online reviews observed in this study indicated that consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations. This is particularly true when reviews come from verified buyers, as consumers tend to regard these reviews as more authentic and credible. The trustworthiness of reviews is further supported by Kim, Maslowska & Malthouse (2020), who highlighted that consumers place more weight on reviews from verified purchasers, as they are perceived to have no vested interest in promoting the product. Moreover, the influence of the overall rating on consumer decisions is one of the most significant factors influencing consumer decision-making, as it provides a quick and easily digestible snapshot of product quality. In textiles, where aspects like fit, comfort, and material quality are crucial, overall ratings help potential buyers quickly gauge whether the product meets their expectations.
El-Said (2020) discovered that internet evaluations significantly and favorably affect sales in a variety of businesses. This effect is especially noticeable for consumer items like clothing, where quality and satisfaction are subjective and hard to assess without other people's opinions. The findings of Fernandes et al. (2022), who also indicated that reviews have a major influence on product assessment and purchasing decisions in e-commerce, are consistent with the high percentage of customers who acknowledge the significant importance that online reviews have in their purchase decisions. Furthermore, the literature's increasing agreement that online reviews are among the most important determinants of purchasing decisions is reflected in the hypothesis testing showing the important importance of reviews (Fernandes et al., 2022). For textiles, where tactile experiences like fabric feel and fit are central to purchase decisions, the reliance on reviews to mitigate these uncertainties becomes even more pronounced.
Previous studies have repeatedly demonstrated that customers' perceptions and utilization of online reviews are influenced by variables including age, gender, and buying habits. For instance, Torabi & Bélanger (2022) discovered that while older customers could have greater faith in conventional methods of product assessment, younger consumers often depend more on internet evaluations when making purchase decisions. Differences in technology adoption and purchasing habits may be the cause of the variance in attitudes depending on demographic factors. According to Sudirjo et al. (2023), millennials are more inclined than earlier generations to be affected by internet reviews.
Conclusion
In conclusion, by providing insights into the changing influence of online reviews and ratings on purchasing decisions, especially in the textile industry, this study will add to the expanding body of research on consumer behavior in the digital era. The study's findings show how crucial online reviews are to the textile sector and validate this as a developing trend in e-commerce, where reviews are an essential source of trust and social proof. The trustworthiness of reviews, particularly from verified buyers, and the influence of review ratings support previous findings in consumer behaviour literature. Further evidence of the complex influence of online feedback across various consumer sectors comes from demographic variations in how customers evaluate and react to reviews. By highlighting the significance of reliable reviews and customer feedback to increase consumer trust and boost sales, these insights can assist textile manufacturers in improving their online marketing strategy.
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