
The main reason people leave negative reviews is a poor product or service, 72% of people would do so in this situation. But it’s not just the product itself, 69% would leave a negative review if they had a bad experience with a national company, 66% with a small business.
Interestingly, Brits are more forgiving of small businesses than larger companies. Belfast is the city most likely to leave a negative review, 90% of residents would do so. Bristol and Brighton follow, 88% and 84% respectively.

Source: Capitalontap.com
But Brighton is also the city most likely to leave positive reviews, 94% of residents would do so across all purchasing situations. When it comes to what drives positive reviews, good value for money is key, 84% of people would leave a positive review if they thought the product or service was good value. Good customer service is also important, 83% of people would leave a positive review if the business offered great service.
Alex Miles, COO at Capital on Tap says negative reviews can have a big impact on consumer behaviour. He advises business owners not to ignore the negative feedback but to use it as an opportunity to fix the problem and show potential customers you care about individual experiences. Encourage reviews by making the process easy and personal.