I think star ratings still matter, but they’ve definitely lost some of their impact on their own. Most users assume every product will show 4–5 stars now, so the signal isn’t as strong as it used to be. What tends to work better today is layered social proof—detailed reviews, customer stories, before/after results, or verified usage examples. When people can see real context behind the rating, it feels more credible. Many conversion rate optimisation case studies show that testimonials with specific outcomes or screenshots outperform generic star ratings. So the stars still help, but they work best as an entry point rather than the main trust signal.