What share of U.S. adults at least sometimes read online reviews before buying something for the first time?
Answer82%
40% say they always or almost always read reviews first.
Source: Pew Research Center, Online reviews (2016) pewresearch.org
Business · Facts & sources
Product facts & stats
4 sourced facts about products and how people shop for them, each with the context behind the number. 4 more are in today's round and appear here after it closes.
The basics
Going deeper
How much did U.S. retail e-commerce sales total in Q2 2026 (seasonally adjusted)?
Answer$340,244 million
Total retail sales for the quarter were an estimated $1,986.5 billion.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Quarterly Retail E-Commerce Sales 2nd Quarter 2026 census.gov
What share of U.S. adults always or almost always read reviews before buying something new?
Answer40%
Among 18- to 29-year-olds, 53% always or almost always read reviews.
Source: Pew Research Center, Online reviews (2016) pewresearch.org
What share of review readers pay more attention to extremely negative reviews?
Answer54%
By comparison, 43% pay more attention to extremely positive reviews.
Source: Pew Research Center, Online reviews (2016) pewresearch.org
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