Online customer reviews & ratings: Influence in consumer decision-making process

The rapid development in internet-based technology has changed the way of shopping for goods and services. Customers are now using Online Reviews & Ratings to simplify the process of decision-making. This paper is an attempt to review the existing literature and to understand how the customer uses Online Reviews & Ratings in their decision-making to reach the final purchase decision. The study proposes a graphical model to show how Online Reviews & Ratings become crucial in consumer decision-making. The present study also formulated hypotheses and calls for future empirical research.