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research-article

How product review voting is influenced by existing votes, consumer involvement, review valence, and review diagnosticity

Authors:

Shih-Lun Tseng,

Danny Weathers,

Varun GroverAuthors Info & Claims

Volume 172, Issue C

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dss.2023.113981

Published: 01 September 2023 Publication History

Abstract

Websites that allow consumers to post online reviews often allow others to signal the value of the reviews by voting for them as being helpful (i.e., an upvote) or unhelpful (i.e., a downvote). Although a review's content should drive votes, herd behavior may also be operative if consumers discount their own judgments of the review based on signals others provide. Using a field study of online product reviews from Amazon, a longitudinal experiment, and two cross-sectional experiments, we find evidence for herd behavior: consumers' voting decisions and intentions are influenced by others' votes. However, this effect is complex with multiple moderating factors, including consumer involvement, review valence, and review diagnosticity. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of these findings for reducing the potential negative effects of herd behavior in the context of online reviews.

Highlights

•

Previous upvotes/downvotes of a review influence how future consumers vote.

•

Consumers are influenced by existing upvotes and downvotes differently when engaging in herd behavior.

•

Highly involved consumers are more likely to follow the herd.

•

Consumers that receive mixed signals are more likely to follow the herd.

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Cited By

Alzate MArce-Urriza MCebollada J(2024)Is review visibility fostering helpful votes? The role of review rank and review characteristics in the adoption of informationComputers in Human Behavior10.1016/j.chb.2023.108088153:COnline publication date: 12-Apr-2024
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1016/j.chb.2023.108088

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Published In

cover image Decision Support Systems

Decision Support Systems Volume 172, Issue C

Sep 2023

81 pages

ISSN:0167-9236

Issue’s Table of Contents

Elsevier B.V.

Publisher

Elsevier Science Publishers B. V.

Netherlands

Publication History

Published: 01 September 2023

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Cited By

Alzate MArce-Urriza MCebollada J(2024)Is review visibility fostering helpful votes? The role of review rank and review characteristics in the adoption of informationComputers in Human Behavior10.1016/j.chb.2023.108088153:COnline publication date: 12-Apr-2024
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1016/j.chb.2023.108088

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