Online Reviews: The Impact of Power and Incidental Similarity

Abstract

With the large amount of information shared on the Internet, customers are more likely to be influenced by other customers today. This research examines the impact of shared incidental similarity with an online reviewer on the focal customers’ attitudes and purchase intentions. In addition, the present study argues that such a positive relationship between incidental similarity and customers’ responses can be moderated by individuals’ psychological states of power. The results of the current study show that participants in the powerful condition exhibited similar level of responses toward a restaurant after reading a set of online reviews regardless of the presence or absence of incidental similarity cues (e.g., same name initials). However, under the condition of powerlessness, participants’ responses are positively driven by shared incidental similarity with the reviewer.