Online Reviews and Their Influence on Consumer Behaviours

So how much are we influenced by the opinions of strangers? In a world where technology has come to be involved in almost every aspect of our lives young travel writer Zak Richardson sets out to find a correlation between online reviews and the impact they have on consumers based on age, gender and their level of education. This study takes a representative sample of 154 participants and with it attempts to draw distinctions and comparisons which are applicable in the tourism and leisure industry. It concludes on not only which individuals use online review platforms but also how they use them- and whether there is a preference for mobile devices and travel based 'Apps' among certain demographics. The results of this study show conclusive trends that- with this information- many businesses and individuals could stand to benefit. This research by its nature is still in its infancy and there is strong potential for this to be carried further to best capitalise and provide value to this ever growing industry.