The evolution of E-WOM intentions: A two time-lag interval approach after service failures

Abstract

E-WOM intentions and their drivers are dynamic. Although substantial research has shown WOM's dynamic nature, it remains unanswered whether E-WOM intentions and their drivers would evolve if consumers perceive positive efforts toward service recovery. Using a two time-lag interval, our findings provide ample evidence that E-WOM intentions drivers differ from the initial recovery phase to the complete recovery phase. In particular, in the initial recovery phase (T1), E-WOM intentions focus on distributive justice, such as compensation and reward, whereas in the complete recovery phase (T2), customers' responses shift to procedural or interactional justice. Our findings demonstrate that the two linkages (e.g., procedural justice–E-WOM intentions and interactional justice–recovery satisfaction) increase in the subsequent period of T2. However, the three linkages (e.g., distributive justice–recovery satisfaction, distributive justice–E-WOM intentions, and interactional justice–E-WOM intentions) decrease in T2. Additionally, the authors provide theoretical and practical implications for handling E-WOM intentions in the service literature, and discuss directions for future research.