The Influence of Online Reviews on Customer Trust in Selected Coffee Shops in Santo Tomas, Davao del Norte

Abstract

Customer trust refers to the confidence consumers place in a company’s reliability and integrity based on consistent and credible interactions. This study determined the relationship between Online Reviews and Customer Trust in Selected Coffee Shops in Santo Tomas, Davao del Norte. The respondents of this study were a sample of 252 customers, selected from a total estimated population of 729, across five (5) selected coffee shops employing stratified random sampling technique. This study utilized quantitative non-experimental research through a descriptive correlational design. This study utilized adapted instruments that were thoroughly evaluated to ensure their accuracy and relevance. The statistical tools used in this study were mean and Pearson r. The results revealed that the level of online reviews and customer trust obtained a descriptive level of very high, which is always manifested. This indicates a strong and statistically significant positive relationship between online reviews and customer trust in selected coffee shops in Santo Tomas, Davao del Norte. The results implied that customers generally trust selected coffee shops in terms of employees, experience, dependability, and worthiness, indicating consistent confidence in service quality and customer engagement. This suggested that coffee shops should actively respond to both positive and negative reviews in a professional and transparent manner, demonstrating accountability and commitment to service improvement.