TY - GEN
T1 - Understanding the informational social influence of online review platforms
AU - Zhang, Kem Z.K.
AU - Lee, Matthew K.O.
AU - Zhao, Sesia J.
PY - 2010/12
Y1 - 2010/12
N2 - Online review platforms have become a basis for many consumers to make informed decisions. This type of platforms is rich in review messages and review contributors. For marketers, the platforms' practical importance is its influence on business outcomes. In the individual level, however, little research has investigated the impacts of a platform on consumer decision-making process. In this research, we use the heuristic-systematic model to explain how consumers establish their decision based on processing review messages on the platform. We build a research model and propose impacts of different constructs established from the systematic and heuristic processing of review messages. Survey data from a Chinese online review platform generally supports our hypotheses, except that the heuristic cue, source credibility, fails to affect consumers' behavioral intention. Based on the findings, we discuss implications for both researchers and practitioners. We further point out limitations and suggest opportunities for future research.
AB - Online review platforms have become a basis for many consumers to make informed decisions. This type of platforms is rich in review messages and review contributors. For marketers, the platforms' practical importance is its influence on business outcomes. In the individual level, however, little research has investigated the impacts of a platform on consumer decision-making process. In this research, we use the heuristic-systematic model to explain how consumers establish their decision based on processing review messages on the platform. We build a research model and propose impacts of different constructs established from the systematic and heuristic processing of review messages. Survey data from a Chinese online review platform generally supports our hypotheses, except that the heuristic cue, source credibility, fails to affect consumers' behavioral intention. Based on the findings, we discuss implications for both researchers and practitioners. We further point out limitations and suggest opportunities for future research.
KW - Consumer decision-making
KW - Heuristicsystematic model
KW - Informational social influence
KW - Online review platforms
KW - Word-of-mouth
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85069301011
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:85069301011
SN - 9780615418988
T3 - ICIS 2010 Proceedings - Thirty First International Conference on Information Systems
BT - Proceedings of the 31 International Conference on Information Systems (ICIS 2010)
T2 - 31st International Conference on Information Systems, ICIS 2010
Y2 - 12 December 2010 through 15 December 2010
ER -