According to Nielsen, WOMMA Governing member company, a recent survey revealed that 93% of Malaysians trust word of mouth more than any other source for purchases. WOM was followed closely by editorial content (82%), brand websites (75%), and brand sponsorships (75%). As Internet access in the south Asian country expanded, so did user generated content. But this is not to say that Malaysians trust random opinions on the Internet. Consumer online opinions usually are ranked second behind personal acquaintance’s opinions in global polls, but they are sixth in Malaysia. So the word of mouth that really matters comes from people talking to one another. Anyone wanting to break into the Malaysian market should take note because online consumer reviews are not what is driving sales.

The full story at The Star:
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/7/28/nation/20090728145754&sec=nation