The Impact of eWOM Message Characteristics on the Perceived Effectiveness of Online Consumer Reviews

Abstract

This study seeks to extend the emerging body and scope of research on consumers' attitudinal and behavioral responses to online consumer reviews by examining the role of message content characteristics. From this perceptive, this research broadens the understanding and importance of message characteristics to the persuasiveness of online consumer reviews. Specifically, this study investigates how consumers process online consumer reviews within the context of message characteristics, such as message type (attribute centric and benefit centric) and message valence (positive, negative, and neutral), and how this influences consumers' attitudes toward the review and product, perceived credibility of the reviewer, and purchase intention. Data indicate that message valence of online consumer reviews has a persuasive effect on consumers' attitudes toward the review and product, perceived source credibility, and purchase intention. Moreover, message valence interacts with message type, providing a more complex picture of product review effectiveness. Finally, data indicate that benefit-centric reviews result in higher recall than attribute-centric reviews.