How rainy-day blues affect customers’ evaluation behavior: Evidence from online reviews

Abstract

Although many firms deem weather conditions relevant to customers’ decision making and satisfaction, firms often struggle to quantify the impact of weather on customers’ online evaluation behavior. By combining hourly weather data and online review data from an online booking platform, this study found distinct review-related effects of rainy weather on customers’ numerical review ratings versus textual review content. Specifically, customers’ ratings and engagement in textual reviews were lower when reviews were written while it was raining. Also, rainy weather had second-order interactive effects on customers’ consumption experiences: favorable experiences weakened the negative effects of rainy weather on ratings, whereas unfavorable experiences mitigated customers’ unwillingness to post longer textual reviews in rainy weather. Compared with review ratings, textual reviews were less likely to be influenced by rainy weather as indicated by the emotional intensity of reviews. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings are also discussed. • This study explored distinct review-related effects of rainy weather on customers’ review ratings versus review contents. • Customers’ online ratings and engagement in textual reviews were lower when reviews were written while it was raining. • Favorable experiences weakened the negative effects of rainy weather on ratings. • Unfavorable experiences mitigated customers’ unwillingness to post longer textual reviews in rainy weather. • The emotional intensity of textual reviews was less likely to be affected by rainy weather than review ratings.