Consumers have adopted a noted cynicism toward the accuracy and credibility of online reviews. A YouGov Omnibus survey, conducted in October, found that a vast majority of consumers now find online reviews untrustworthy, as only 10% believe reviews of products and services are conducted in an open and honest manner. Almost half — 48% — of those polled said they believe reviewers occasionally rate products and services without actually trying them.

The survey, which was carried out online and sampled 1,145 U.S. adults, found that only 13% of those polled consider online reviews “trustworthy.” The study also found 36% believe businesses often pen positive reviews to bolster their own products and services, and 50% believe businesses sometimes pen negative reviews of competitors’ products and services.

Though Americans’ perceptions of online reviews appears to be characterized by widespread distrust, the study also found that most still see online reviews as an important step in the course of deciding whether to buy a product or service.

The survey showed 78% admitted to looking at online reviews before making purchases, with 41% of consumers referring to online reviews as “very important.” Of those polled who admitted reading online reviews, a little more than half — 52% — said they read four or more reviews before making a purchase. About three-quarters — 77% — said they try to read an equal number of positive and negative reviews.

According to the survey, 79% of those polled said they read online reviews to ensure that the product or service is of good quality, 61% said they read them to make sure the product or service does its intended function, and 53% claimed they read online reviews to make sure that they “don’t get ripped off.”

When it comes to writing reviews, 44% of respondents said they consider themselves “active contributors,” occasionally penning online reviews of products or services. Of those who admit to writing reviews, a majority — 74% — claimed they generally submit positive reviews, while about a third — 32% — said they generally leave neutral reviews. Only 13% said they leave reviews to warn others about bad experiences. A majority of those who leave reviews — 62% — said they do so because they want to help others make sound purchasing decisions, while 35% said they feel compelled to leave feedback because they think it’s polite. More than a quarter — 27% — said they do so because they want to share positive information about their experiences.

Almost a quarter of respondents — 21% — admitted that they had left reviews for products or services they had never actually purchased or tried. The study found that “significantly fewer” reviewers who live in the U.S. Midwest admitted to posting spurious reviews than those who hail from the U.S. Northeast or South.

If most Americans ultimately believe online reviews aren’t reliable, however, why do so many continue to rely on them in the course of weighing purchasing decisions?

“Although people may have suspicions that there are some falsified reviews, they may feel that, on the whole, reviewers are trustworthy,” Anne Gammon, Associate Director YouGov Omnibus, told O’Dwyer’s. “People may also turn to reviews, as they are a quick and free resource, and they lack alternatives.”

The study also found that about a third of reviewers polled — 35% — said it takes them more than five minutes to write a review. The majority of reviewers polled — 45% — said it took them between one and five minutes to write a review.

According to the study, the most popular reviews online — 53% — pertain to electronics products. Other influential review categories include household appliances, automobiles, and hotels.