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Profile Photos’ Impact in Online Reviews: The Effect of Cultural Differences

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  • Broeder Peter

    (Department of Communication and Cognition, Tilburg University, Tilburg, Netherlands)

Abstract

In the context of the continuous expansion of e-commerce worldwide, online consumer reviews have become the most accessible and influential form of electronic worth-of-mouth available to everyone on the internet. This raises a challenge for companies with local as well as global customers. It is germane to know whether there are cultural differences reflected in online reviews, as consumers from distinctively different cultures might trust the evaluation of the same product or service differently. In the present study, Dutch and Japanese individuals (N = 166) were presented with two variations of an online excursion review on a holiday booking website. The review with a profile photo of the reviewer was perceived as more realistic. However, this did not directly influence consumers’ booking intention. Meanwhile, the degree of trust in the review affected the inclination to book the excursion. Some cultural differences were found. The Dutch group reported higher booking intentions and trust than the Japanese group, both with the photo-absent review as well as the photo-present review. The implications of these findings contribute to a better understanding of cultural specifics and global universals in e-commerce, enabling the development of more effective online marketing communications.

Suggested Citation

  • Broeder Peter, 2022. "Profile Photos’ Impact in Online Reviews: The Effect of Cultural Differences," Review of Marketing Science, De Gruyter, vol. 20(1), pages 21-36, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:bpj:revmkt:v:20:y:2022:i:1:p:21-36:n:7
    DOI: 10.1515/roms-2021-0074
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Filieri, Raffaele, 2016. "What makes an online consumer review trustworthy?," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 46-64.
    2. Ert, Eyal & Fleischer, Aliza & Magen, Nathan, 2016. "Trust and reputation in the sharing economy: The role of personal photos in Airbnb," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 62-73.
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    4. Winzar, Hume, 2015. "The ecological fallacy: How to spot one and tips on how to use one to your advantage," Australasian marketing journal, Elsevier, vol. 23(1), pages 86-92.
    5. Yani Wang & Jun Wang & Tang Yao, 2019. "What makes a helpful online review? A meta-analysis of review characteristics," Electronic Commerce Research, Springer, vol. 19(2), pages 257-284, June.
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