Abstract
This article addresses the issue of predicting and stimulating consumers’ word of mouth communication (WOM). It contributes to the WOM literature by examining and comparing the magnitude of effects of a set of antecedents and consequences of WOM information spread and WOM information seek in one model. The data collected from consumer survey in Croatia were analysed using structural equation modelling (SEM). The results reveal that consumer innovativeness, followed by price sensitivity and attitudes towards advertising are the most important drivers of both WOM variables, whereas the effects are stronger for WOM information seek than WOM information spread. The results also indicate that WOM information seek has a four times stronger effect on buying intention than WOM information spread, which can be utilised by retailers. Accordingly, retailers should focus on WOM information seek and try to stimulate it by introducing new products in the first place, but also with frequent sales, and appealing advertising messages.
Highlights
As competition in the retail market is fierce, the growth limited and expenses high, firms seek more effective ways of generating demand
Mowen et al (2007) indicate that both word of mouth communication (WOM) variables might have similar antecedents, our findings indicate that some drivers are the same, such as gender, consumer innovativeness, price sensitivity and attitudes towards advertising
The impact of WOM information seek on buying intention is four time larger than WOM information spread, suggesting the importance of WOM information seek in Croatia
Summary
Most of WOM research focused either on a sender or a receiver of information, while very few studies have examined both perspectives in one model (e.g., Alsulaiman et al, 2015; Mowen et al, 2007; Sweeney et al, 2008). These studies were carried out in developed countries (e.g., the U.S, Korea and New Zealand), and suggest that there are differences in the drivers and effects of WOM.
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