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@article{200974,
        author = {Aditi nitin mhatre and Sanket Gaikwad and Aayush Kushwaha and Vishwajeet Raj},
        title = {HOW ONLINE REVIEWS AFFECT CONSUMER TRUST},
        journal = {International Journal of Innovative Research in Technology},
        year = {2026},
        volume = {12},
        number = {12},
        pages = {3215-3231},
        issn = {2349-6002},
        url = {https://ijirt.org/article?manuscript=200974},
        abstract = {This study explores consumer perceptions and decision-making behaviours regarding skincare product purchases, with a particular focus on the role of online reviews. Online reviews are considered an important form of electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) that significantly influences consumer attitudes and purchasing decisions in digital marketplaces (Ismagilova et al., 2020; Erkan & Evans, 2018). A survey of 105 participants revealed that the majority of respondents were aged 18–25 (61.9%), highlighting the dominance of younger consumers in the skincare market. Across multiple dimensions, online reviews emerged as a critical influence on purchasing decisions. Most respondents reported reading reviews before buying skincare products, with 69.5% agreeing or strongly agreeing. Furthermore, 63.8% indicated that online reviews are their main source of information, and 74% confirmed that they compare multiple reviews prior to purchase. Previous studies have also shown that consumers rely heavily on online reviews to evaluate product quality and reduce uncertainty before making purchasing decisions (Filieri et al., 2018; Lackermair et al., 2016). 
Credibility factors such as visual content (images/videos), mention of skin type, and detailed explanations significantly increased consumer confidence and trust, with over 70% of respondents agreeing or strongly agreeing. Balanced reviews that include both pros and cons were perceived as more genuine (71.5%), while excessive positive reviews raised suspicion among 71.1% of participants. Positive reviews were shown to enhance trust (81%), whereas negative reviews reduced trust (78.6%). This aligns with previous research indicating that review credibility and content quality play a significant role in shaping consumer trust and purchase intentions (Ahn & Lee, 2024; Sinaga & Muitia, 2025). Crucially, the study highlights consumer trust as a key mediating factor connecting online reviews to purchasing choices. Reviews build trust by mitigating perceived risk, increasing product transparency, and offering social validation, which is especially pertinent in the skincare sector where assessing product effectiveness and safety before use can be challenging. Research also suggests that trust generated through credible online reviews can lead to stronger brand loyalty and repeat purchasing behaviour (Chatterjee et al., 2021).},
        keywords = {Online Reviews, Consumer Trust, Skincare Products, Electronic Word-of-Mouth (eWOM), Consumer Purchase Behaviour, Review Credibility.},
        month = {May},
        }