{
  "schema_version": "1.1",
  "id": "88-percent-trust-online-reviews",
  "slug": "88-percent-trust-online-reviews",
  "url": "https://groundedkit.com/claims/88-percent-trust-online-reviews/",
  "api_url": "https://groundedkit.com/api/claims/88-percent-trust-online-reviews.json",
  "claim": "88% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations",
  "commonly_cited_as": "\"88% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations\" (as current)",
  "verdict": "outdated",
  "verdict_definition": "Source found and quoted correctly, but old enough that the market has changed.",
  "confidence": "high",
  "rating": {
    "value": 3,
    "best": 5,
    "worst": 1
  },
  "origin": {
    "publisher": "BrightLocal",
    "title": "Local Consumer Review Survey 2014",
    "year": "2014"
  },
  "quote": "88% of consumers say they trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations (vs. 79% in 2013)",
  "method": "BrightLocal's own consumer panel: 2,104 responses, 90% US and 10% Canada, May-June 2014.",
  "drift": [
    "Date: 12 years old; BrightLocal's later editions report much lower figures (49% in 2026, with changed wording)"
  ],
  "interest": "BrightLocal sells local-SEO and review-management software.",
  "safe_rephrasing": "In BrightLocal's 2014 panel survey, 88% said they trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations; the same company's recent editions report around half.",
  "sources": [
    {
      "title": "BrightLocal: Local Consumer Review Survey 2014",
      "url": "https://www.brightlocal.com/research/local-consumer-review-survey-2014/",
      "primary": true
    }
  ],
  "kind": "stat_check",
  "as_of": "2014",
  "last_checked": "2026-10-16",
  "stale": false,
  "date_reviewed": "2026-10-16",
  "license": "CC BY 4.0",
  "license_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"
}