Foreign-language Reviews: Help or Hindrance?

TL;DR

This study investigates whether displaying foreign-language reviews influences consumer decisions, finding mixed reactions and that some users benefit from translated foreign reviews, potentially affecting purchase choices.

Contribution

It provides empirical evidence on the impact of foreign-language reviews and user engagement with translations in online shopping interfaces.

Findings

26-28% of users clicked to see translations

Users who viewed translations were more likely to buy products with foreign reviews

Reactions to foreign reviews are mixed, with both positive and negative responses

Abstract

The number and quality of user reviews greatly affects consumer purchasing decisions. While reviews in all languages are increasing, it is still often the case (especially for non-English speakers) that there are only a few reviews in a person's first language. Using an online experiment, we examine the value that potential purchasers receive from interfaces showing additional reviews in a second language. The results paint a complicated picture with both positive and negative reactions to the inclusion of foreign-language reviews. Roughly 26-28% of subjects clicked to see translations of the foreign-language content when given the opportunity, and those who did so were more likely to select the product with foreign-language reviews than those who did not.