Yes, Reviews Matter More Than Ever
Online customer reviews–both positive and negative–exert a huge influence in attracting customers for small businesses. This is a concept that has been around for a long time – 16 years, in fact – and kitchen dealers have enjoyed the benefits of positive reviews.
Today people are more aware of and frustrated by fake reviews. However, they still rely on reviews to help guide their purchase decisions. The need for peer recommendation is now a permanent part of how people make buying decisions.
The Big 2026 Change: Reviews Aren't Disappearing. They're Being Used Differently.
Times change and how consumers use reviews has changed too.
A 2026 survey by BrightLocal of 1,002 U.S. adults found that 97% read online reviews of local businesses, and 41% say they always read them when browsing for businesses.
Even more interesting for kitchen dealers: consumers are getting pickier.
- 74% care primarily about reviews written within the last three months
- 47% won’t use a business with fewer than 20 reviews
- 31% say they’ll only use businesses rated 4.5 stars or higher.
Google Reviews Still Matter — But They're No Longer the Whole Story
Google still ranks reviews when calculating search results. Google explicitly says that review quantity and positive ratings can definitely help a business’s local ranking for getting found on line.
AI Has Changed How Reviews Are Used
Consumers aren’t sitting down and reading 37 Google reviews individually anymore. More and more often AI is collecting and collating relevant reviews for them.
Further, reviews become part of the body of information those AI systems may use or summarize.
Google itself says its local listings can include AI-generated review summaries based on reviews from the past year, updated regularly to reflect current opinions.
Meanwhile, BrightLocal’s survey results report an increase from last year’s survey in the way that consumers now use AI tools for business recommendations.
Here’s an example.
In the past a homeowner would search: “ABC Kitchens reviews” and then take the time to read the results.
Now they are most likely to ask an AI tool: “Who are the best kitchen remodelers near me?” or “Which kitchen dealers near me have good customer service?”
Having Reviews Isn't Enough Anymore. You Need RECENT Reviews.
You saw that statistic above right? 74% of survey respondents care the most about reviews written within the last three months.
And that number is especially applicable for kitchen dealers/remodelers. Your stellar collection of five-star reviews from 2019 most likely won’t impress someone preparing to hand you $60,000 for a kitchen in 2026.
What Makes a Review Valuable?
The content of reviews is now more important than ever. To be valuable, a review should relate how real customers experienced a product or service so that other real customers can decide whether that product or service is a good fit for them, too.
Reviews with details about your products and services, together with photos or videos, get search engine and AI attention.
A detailed review saying “Mary redesigned our kitchen, stayed within our budget, handled a cabinet replacement quickly and communicated throughout the project” contains vastly more useful information than: “Great job! Five stars!”
Ask Every Customer for an Honest Review
Customers who have good intentions to write a review won’t do it if they forget, or it’s too hard, or they’re too busy. You must invite each customer to write a review and make the process easy for them.
What’s the best approach to use when asking for reviews? A simple, sincere, no-stress request with no financial incentives and no pressure.
- Invite them to give feedback; don’t pressure them for a review.
- Keep the request simple, sincere and no-pressure
- You “remind”, you don’t “nag.”
- Email, thank you cards, a printed card with an invitation to post a review are all good ideas.
The 2026 BrightLocal research reports that 83% of consumers who were asked to leave a review did, in fact, go on to leave one.
See, it’s true: your former clients will lead you to your future customers; all you have to do is “invite” them to tell others about their experience with you.
Not All Reviews Need to Be Glowing
A mix of positive and less-than-positive reviews feels more authentic than 50 suspiciously ecstatic five-star reviews. Google itself now tells businesses that honest and balanced reviews help customers make decisions and that a mix of positive and negative feedback can feel more trustworthy. Research has shown that people who read mixed reviews judge a business more favorably than those with only positive reviews.
Nobody’s perfect, and real reviews by real people are what prospects are looking for.
Even a less-than-positive review can ultimately help your reputation. It’s the mix of opinions — and how you respond to them — that tells the real story.
Respond to All Reviews – Especially the Negatives
Negative reviews aren’t all bad. Instead, look at them as an opportunity to understand customer expectations and improve future experiences.
How you respond to a negative review says a lot about you and your business. By providing constructive replies and following up on concerns, you show that you care.
If you do get a negative review, consider these tips when responding:
- Never share a reviewer’s private information.
- Don’t engage in personal attacks.
- Acknowledge if any mistakes were made, if necessary.
- Don’t take responsibility for things outside your control, like the weather.
- Express empathy.
- Show that you understand how the customer feels.
- A genuine apology can go a long way in rebuilding trust.
- Your prompt response shows that you value your customers’ feedback.
Don't Buy Reviews. Don't Reward Five-Star Reviews.
Google says that reviews must reflect a genuine experience. Offering incentives, like free or discounted goods or services, in exchange for customers to post reviews, change reviews or remove negative reviews is considered fake and misleading content and is strictly prohibited.
Fake Reviews Aren't Just Shady — They Can Violate Federal Rules
Many people perceive reviews as fake and/or untrustworthy. So many, in fact, that the government took notice and took action.
The Federal Trade Commission’s Consumer Reviews and Testimonials Rule went into effect October 21, 2024. Among other things, it prohibits businesses from buying fake reviews and from offering incentives that are conditioned on a review expressing a particular positive or negative sentiment.
What Kitchen Dealers Should Do Now
Prioritize asking for reviews. Build it into your sales process. Don’t make “get more reviews” a vague marketing resolution, something you’ll get to “tomorrow”.
When a kitchen is completed and your customer is happy, that’s the time to ask them for the review.
Best practice says to make it easy for them to post a review. Give them a direct link to your website, to your Business Profile Page on Google. Google Help provides a way for you to create a QR code they can use.
Say thank you after they post.
Then repeat this process with every completed job. Keep doing it!
The goal is for your reviews to provide a representation of the business you’re operating today, not the business you operated five years ago.
At Bob Aungst Cabinet Sales, we work with kitchen dealers and designers and design-build remodelers throughout Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland to help them sell cabinetry for real homes and real lifestyles.