The effect of consumption goals on review helpfulness: Behavioral and eye-tracking research

Abstract

Through utilizing behavioral methodology and integrating eye-tracking technology, we investigate the effect of consumption goals on review helpfulness during online shopping. Behaviorally, consumption goals (hedonic vs. utilitarian) can influence relative review (attribute-based vs. experience-based) helpfulness and this effect is mediated by review-goal congruity. Compared with those with hedonic consumption goals, consumers with utilitarian consumption goals perceive attribute-based reviews (vs. experience-based reviews) as more consistent with expectations, which makes the former of reviews more helpful for shopping decisions. In the study of eye-tracking, we found the attention-based cognitive process underlying the behavioral effect of consumption goals. Consumers have longer fixation duration and more fixation counts for attribute-based reviews when they have utilitarian consumption goals rather than hedonic consumption goals. These results show that by different types of consumption goals, consumers evaluate the review helpfulness and meantime allocate attentional resources. This research extends our current understanding of the relationship between consumption goals and online review helpfulness, and provides guidelines on the utilization of online reviews to facilitate the development of the marketing strategy for online retailers.