Professional reviewers are often seen as having the last word on consumer electronics, but their influence on purchase decisions may actually be weaker than the recommendations of fellow consumers.

A study of consumers who had recently made an electronics purchase, conducted by Weber Shandwick and KRC Research in September 2012, found that shoppers were more likely to pay attention to consumer reviews than professional reviews across every product category. Respondents favored consumer reviews by the greatest margin when buying headphones or earbuds, at 79%. Shoppers were most likely to take a professional critic’s advice when buying a tablet, but still only 39% preferred “official” advice on such a purchase.

via For Driving Purchases, Customer Reviews Trump Pro Critics – eMarketer.