New research from Mannheim Business School has found that reviews submitted on weekends consistently receive lower ratings than those posted during the week. The study, led by Florian Stahl, Professor of Marketing, examined 400 million reviews across product, e-commerce, hospitality, entertainment, and workplace platforms.
The analysis revealed that weekend reviews contain fewer 5-star and more 1- to 3-star ratings than weekday reviews. The pattern, termed the ‘weekend effect,’ was found to be strongest in workplace and employer-related feedback, particularly on sites such as Glassdoor and Indeed.
“It is possible that individuals thinking about job-related matters during the weekend may be experiencing significant dissatisfaction at work. For most people, work is typically not a top priority during the weekend unless they are facing serious issues,” said Professor Stahl.
The study also examined the disproportionate impact of negative ratings. A single 1-star review can significantly lower an average score, especially when overall review numbers are small. For example, a product averaging 3.33 stars from three reviews would fall to 2.75 stars if a fourth review awarded just one star.
After analysing reviewer characteristics, the researchers suggested a psychological and social dimension to the trend. Those more likely to leave reviews at weekends were found to have fewer social connections and friends on networks — and reported feeling lonelier. The team described this as “temporal self-selection,” where certain individuals are more inclined to write reviews at specific times.
For businesses, the findings highlight the commercial importance of timing. Companies encouraging customer feedback may benefit from steering review requests toward weekdays, when sentiment is typically more positive.
The research, published in the Journal of Marketing Research, adds to a growing body of evidence on how timing and mood affect online reputation — and, by extension, business performance.
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