Purchase Situations and Information-Seeking in Brand-Related User-Generated Content

Abstract

Consumers use brand-related user-generated content (UGC), such as online consumer reviews, for their pre-purchase information seeking. However, previous research on consumer information seeking has scarcely explored how purchase situations and product type influence one’s use of brand-related UGC. The purpose of this study is to shed light on this area of consumer behavior. By utilizing linear mixed effect models, we examined several hypotheses relevant to relationships between four purchase variables (PDI, think purchase, feel purchase, online/offline purchase) and one’s reliance on brand-related UGC. The results indicate that all of the purchase variables are positively associated with the use of UGC. Furthermore, the study found several more associations between demographic factors and the reliance on UGC. Age, gender, marital status, number of children in a household, and employment status showed significant associations, whereas education, household income, and ethnicity did not. Implications, limitations and suggestions for future research are also noted.