Role of eWOM in Selecting Branded and Unbranded Electronic Products Online

Abstract

The prior studies reflected that eWOM has significant positive impact on different marketing outcomes but study of impact of eWOM on online purchase intention is comparatively a less explored area. Prior research has demonstrated a strong influence of eWOM on consumers. However, it is not known whether individuals react differently to eWOM when it concerns branded products rather than unbranded products. This paper therefore examines the impact of branded and unbranded electronic products on consumers’ reaction towards positive and negative eWOM. The study is conducted to highlight the customer preference of branded and unbranded electronic products by reviewing eWOM patterns online in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh region. The current study is limited to the sample size of 150 customers who purchased electronic products online. The study depicts that both the perception level as well as behavioural level show that eWOM has a stronger influence on purchase intention for unbranded electronic products as compared to branded electronic products. At a perception level negative messages are seen as more negative when concerning branded electronic products rather than unbranded electronic products. Thus, the role of eWOM in selecting branded and unbranded electronic products in online context is examined in the paper.