Survey: 55.4% of Consumers 'Avoid' Stores Rated Below 4.0 Stars, Yet 68.5% 'Will Consider' if Reviews Are Good

Knowledge Holdings Co., Ltd. (based in Minato-ku, Tokyo) conducted a survey on the 'Impact of Star Ratings on Store Selection' among 303 men and women in their 20s to 50s nationwide.

The results showed that a total of 55.4% of consumers 'almost always avoid' or 'tend to avoid' stores with ratings below 4.0 stars. On the other hand, 68.5% of people stated they would 'consider using the store if the review content is good' even if the rating is below 4.0, revealing specific conditions that can overcome the star-rating barrier.

Survey Overview

- Target Audience: Men and women in their 20s to 50s nationwide (Internet users) - Sample Size: 303 participants - Survey Period: May 2026 - Survey Method: Online questionnaire

Key Survey Findings

- 84.5% of consumers 'consider star ratings important' when choosing a store (28.7% very important + 55.8% somewhat important). - 54.8% of consumers set their minimum star rating for consideration at '4.0 stars or higher,' making 4.0 the de facto cut-off line. - 55.4% of consumers 'avoid' stores with ratings below 4.0. This figure rises to 81.6% among those who 'highly value' star ratings. - The top condition for considering a store with a sub-4.0 rating is 'good review content' at 68.5%, followed by 'good impression from photos' (47.6%) and 'large number of reviews' (43.5%). - The top 3 reversal conditions are all items that can be improved on a Google Business Profile, suggesting that even low-rated businesses have a chance to recover through MEO strategies.

Survey Background

Star ratings on Google Maps and review sites are known to have a significant influence on consumer visit decisions. This survey aimed to quantify consumer behavior at four stages: the importance of ratings, the specific minimum rating, avoidance of sub-4.0 stores, and the 'reversal conditions' that overcome avoidance, in order to derive concrete actions for businesses.

Result ①: 84.5% of consumers 'consider star ratings important' A total of 84.5% use star ratings as a factor in their decision to visit. Only 15.5% 'don't really care' or 'don't care at all'.

Result ②: 54.8% set a minimum of 4.0 stars When asked about their minimum star rating for consideration, '4.0 or higher' was the most common answer at 32.7%. In total, 54.8% set their minimum standard at 4.0 stars or above. Stores with a 3.9-star rating or lower are out of consideration for over half of consumers at this point.

Result ③: 55.4% of consumers 'avoid' stores rated below 4.0 When asked if they actually avoid stores with sub-4.0 ratings, a total of 55.4% take evasive action.

Result ④: 81.6% of the 'rating-conscious' group avoid sub-4.0 stores Among those who 'highly value' ratings (n=87), 81.6% avoid stores below 4.0 stars. Even among the 'somewhat value' group (n=169), 52.0% tend to avoid them, showing that the higher the importance, the stricter the behavior.

Result ⑤: 'Reversal Conditions' for considering sub-4.0 stores When the 168 respondents who avoid sub-4.0 stores were asked what conditions would make them consider a visit, the top answer was 'good review content' (68.5%), followed by 'good impression from photos' (47.6%) and 'large number of reviews' (43.5%). The top three items were all elements that can be improved on a Google Business Profile.

Company Analysis --- Insights from this Survey

This survey provided data to support that while 4.0 stars is a clear cut-off line for consumers, it can be reversed by the quality and quantity of reviews and photos. - (1) 4.0 stars is the de facto passing grade for consumers, with 54.8% setting it as the minimum standard. - (2) The behavior of the rating-conscious group (84.5%) is particularly severe, with 81.6% of the 'highly value' segment avoiding sub-4.0 stores. - (3) However, reversal conditions exist. Attitudes soften with 'good review content' (68.5%). - (4) The top 3 reversal conditions are all improvable with MEO. A realistic strategy is to enhance the overall strength of a Google Business Profile in parallel with efforts to raise the star rating.