Quantity vs. stars: What do shoppers really trust?
Hi, guys! FYI: This is a dedicated email sponsored by The Licursi Group, but all opinions are my own. Today’s usual daily email will go out shortly!
There’s something I’ve been thinking a lot about lately — and it’s how reviews have quietly become one of the most powerful drivers of sales, visibility, and trust.
Not just “five stars look nice” powerful — but materially moves the needle powerful.
That’s why I wanted to share a resource from The Licursi Group, a marketing and communications agency I’ve worked with for years (some of you may remember I did a Fashion Week collaboration with Bounce Lint Rollers — way back during my A Little Alytude blog on SheKnows days in like 2012!).
Anyway, they run a service called The Ripple Network, a structured, compliant review program built around real consumers and creators — not shortcuts, bots, or sketchy tactics.
Why this matters:
• In real retail environments, products that reach 100 reviews on Walmart.com see an average 12 percent increase in sales
• Reviews directly influence retailer confidence, shopper conversion, and algorithmic visibility. In a recent consumer survey conducted through The Ripple Network, nearly 70 percent of respondents said they’d choose a product with 15,000 reviews at 3.75 stars over one with just 100 reviews at 4.0 stars
• Reviews now play a critical role in AI-driven discovery (AIO) — helping AI tools understand which products are credible, relevant, and worth surfacing
• In short: reviews aren’t just social proof anymore — they’re a discovery signal
What I like about The Ripple Network specifically is that it’s designed for marketers who want to do this the right way — with authenticity, compliance, and long-term credibility in mind.
And while reviews are the entry point, it’s worth noting that The Licursi Group does far more than review programs. They’re a full-service marcom agency with a powerful influencer network, deep retail experience, and a strong track record helping brands turn trust into growth.
As a perk for my readers, any referrals from this list will receive 10 free reviews, which is a great way to test the program and see how it performs for your brand without risk.
If reviews are on your roadmap this year — or if you’re rethinking how trust, AI visibility, and conversion intersect — reach out directly to:
AlySaysINeedReviews@licursi.net
Just include a quick note about your brand and where you sell, and Megan and the Licursi team will take it from there.