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Do consumers always follow “useful” reviews? The interaction effect of review valence and review usefulness on consumers' purchase decisions

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  • Yanli Jia
  • Ivy L.B. Liu

Abstract

Consumers are influenced by both online review valence and usefulness. Although some scholars have recognized the gatekeeping role of review usefulness, whereby consumers always follow “useful” reviews, this is the first study that attempts to provide a better understanding of the gatekeeping role of review valence. Drawing on loss aversion theory, we propose that review valence provides more diagnostic value than review usefulness. Its crucial role is demonstrated in that only when reviews are perceived as positive do highly useful (rather than lowly useful) reviews increase consumers' adoption of them, whereas the difference appears less evident when reviews are perceived as negative. We empirically test the model from two perspectives including product level and review level. The results of a mixed‐method approach – a large‐scale panel study (product level) followed by two experimental studies (review level) – provide empirical evidence for the above hypotheses.

Suggested Citation

  • Yanli Jia & Ivy L.B. Liu, 2018. "Do consumers always follow “useful” reviews? The interaction effect of review valence and review usefulness on consumers' purchase decisions," Journal of the Association for Information Science & Technology, Association for Information Science & Technology, vol. 69(11), pages 1304-1317, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:jinfst:v:69:y:2018:i:11:p:1304-1317
    DOI: 10.1002/asi.24050
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    Cited by:

    1. Zheng, Lili, 2021. "The classification of online consumer reviews: A systematic literature review and integrative framework," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 135(C), pages 226-251.
    2. Hang Yin & Shuang Zheng & William Yeoh & Jie Ren, 2021. "How online review richness impacts sales: An attribute substitution perspective," Journal of the Association for Information Science & Technology, Association for Information Science & Technology, vol. 72(7), pages 901-917, July.
    3. Yen-Liang Chen & Chia-Ling Chang & An-Qiao Sung, 2021. "Predicting eWOM’s Influence on Purchase Intention Based on Helpfulness, Credibility, Information Quality and Professionalism," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(13), pages 1-19, July.
    4. Meek, Stephanie & Wilk, Violetta & Lambert, Claire, 2021. "A big data exploration of the informational and normative influences on the helpfulness of online restaurant reviews," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 125(C), pages 354-367.
    5. Tingting Zhao & Jie Lin & Zhenyu Zhang, 2022. "The Influence of Multi-Variation In-Trust Web Feature Behavior Performance on the Information Dissemination Mechanism in Virtual Community," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(10), pages 1-21, May.
    6. Moradi, Masoud & Dass, Mayukh & Kumar, Piyush, 2023. "Differential effects of analytical versus emotional rhetorical style on review helpfulness," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 154(C).
    7. Zhen Liu & Shao-hui Lei & Yu-lang Guo & Zhi-ang Zhou, 2020. "The interaction effect of online review language style and product type on consumers’ purchase intentions," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 6(1), pages 1-8, December.

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