SELLERS' PERCEPTIONS OF THE INFLUENCE OF CUSTOMER TES-TIMONIALS IN BUILDING CONSUMER TRUST IN HULAHUSHOP ONLINE STORES

Abstract

Customer testimonials are an important element of a digital marketing strategy, especially for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) like HulahuShop, which focuses on selling children's products online. This study uses a qualitative approach with observation methods and in-depth interviews with sellers at HulahuShop. The results show that customer testimonials play a significant role in building consumer trust, especially if they include aspects such as real-life experiences, product photos, and detailed descriptions. Sellers realized that positive testimonials not only increase the trust of new customers, but also strengthen the loyalty of existing customers. The study also found that testimonials accompanied by visuals, such as product images, have a greater impact in convincing consumers than textual testimonials alone.