Online reviews and ratings have become an important source of information for consumers and have significantly changed the way people make purchase decisions. In retail consumer behaviour, buying decisions are influenced not only by advertisements, product displays and personal recommendations but also by the experiences shared by other consumers on digital platforms. Online reviews provide detailed opinions about products or services, while ratings provide a quick numerical or star-based indication of consumer satisfaction. Together, they influence consumers at different stages of the buying process, from need recognition and information search to evaluation of alternatives, purchase and post-purchase behaviour. One of the most important impacts of online reviews is that they reduce information uncertainty. Before purchasing a product, consumers may not have complete knowledge about its quality, performance, durability or usefulness. This is particularly true for products that cannot be physically examined before purchase, such as electronic products, clothing bought online, hotel services and many household items. Reviews provide information based on the experiences of previous buyers. For example, a consumer purchasing a smartphone may examine reviews concerning battery life, camera quality, performance and durability before making a decision. Such information helps the consumer assess whether the product is suitable for their needs. Online ratings provide a quick method of evaluating alternatives. A product with a high average rating may attract greater attention than a similar product with a low rating. Consumers often use ratings as an initial screening mechanism when there are many alternatives available. For instance, when searching for restaurants, consumers may first consider establishments with four-star or higher ratings and then examine detailed reviews. Thus, ratings simplify the decision-making process by allowing consumers to compare products quickly. Reviews and ratings also influence perceived product quality. Consumers frequently associate a high rating and positive reviews with better quality and greater reliability. Positive comments describing satisfactory experiences can strengthen the consumer's belief that a product will perform as expected. Conversely, repeated negative reviews may create doubts about product quality. A product with several complaints regarding poor durability, defective components or unsatisfactory customer service may be avoided even when its price is attractive. Trust is another major factor in the influence of online reviews. Consumers may perceive reviews written by actual buyers as more credible than promotional messages created by sellers. Advertising generally presents the positive characteristics of a product, whereas consumer reviews can provide both positive and negative experiences. Therefore, reviews are often regarded as a form of electronic word-of-mouth communication. For example, a consumer may trust another buyer's description of the actual fitting and fabric quality of a garment more than a retailer's promotional description. The influence of reviews is particularly strong for experience-based and high-involvement products. When consumers are spending a significant amount of money, they usually engage in more extensive information search. Before purchasing a laptop, television, automobile, holiday package or expensive appliance, consumers may read numerous reviews and compare ratings. Reviews help them identify advantages, disadvantages, common problems and alternative products. In low-involvement purchases, consumers may rely more heavily on ratings because they do not want to spend much time researching inexpensive