Effect of sponsorship disclosure on online consumer responses to positive reviews: The moderating role of emotional intensity and tie strength

Sponsored reviews have become prevalent on e-commerce websites, third-party review platforms, and social media. To explore the interactive effect between sponsorship disclosure of positive reviews, emotional intensity, and tie strength on online review credibility and consumers' purchase intention, this study proposed a moderated moderation model. In an online scenario-based experiment, we found that sponsorship disclosure of positive reviews negatively influences consumers' purchase intention, and review credibility mediates the relationship. In addition, emotional intensity strengthens the negative effects of sponsorship disclosure of positive reviews on review credibility and purchase intention, while tie strength weakens the moderating effects of emotional intensity.