What are the obstacles in the way to “avoid landmines”? Influence of electronic word-of-mouth dispersion on order decision from the self-construal perspective

Abstract

Electronic word-of-mouth has greatly influenced customers’ post-purchase decision. Especially, the long internal between booking and checking-in hotels makes it possible to change decisions. Therefore, hotel managers maybe publish fake reviews to stabilize electronic word-of-mouth. Based on attribution theory, this study attributes electronic word-of-mouth dispersion to comments of consumers and fake reviewers. Employing the context experimental method, results show the following: (1) electronic word-of-mouth dispersion negatively affects the order decision; (2) attribution selection could mediate the effect of electronic word-of-mouth dispersion on order decision; (3) independent self-construal weakens the negative effect of electronic word-of-mouth dispersion on order decision; (4) the endowment effect is based on consumers’ risk of losing a product and high endowment reduce the tendency of electronic word-of-mouth dispersion because of fake reviews. Findings not only contribute to electronic word-of-mouth dispersion studies in the field of consumer behavior but also provide guidance for hotel order management.