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The role of visual cues in eWOM on consumers’ behavioral intention and decisions

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  • Filieri, Raffaele
  • Lin, Zhibin
  • Pino, Giovanni
  • Alguezaui, Salma
  • Inversini, Alessandro

Abstract

Consumers increasingly use eWOM to make decisions about various products and services. However, few studies have investigated how different visual and verbal eWOM cues affect the intention and decision to visit tourist destinations and their attractions. The current study fills this gap by drawing on Dual Coding Theory and investigating the influence of verbal and visual eWOM cues on consumers’ intention and behavior. The findings of a field study and an experimental study revealed that eWOM mainly affects tourists’ intentions and decisions through visual cues. Specifically, popularity heuristics, performance visual heuristics, and user-generated pictures affect tourists’ intention and decision to visit a destination and its attractions. Interestingly, information quality did not affect tourists’ decisions. The study offers important theoretical and managerial implications.

Suggested Citation

  • Filieri, Raffaele & Lin, Zhibin & Pino, Giovanni & Alguezaui, Salma & Inversini, Alessandro, 2021. "The role of visual cues in eWOM on consumers’ behavioral intention and decisions," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 135(C), pages 663-675.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jbrese:v:135:y:2021:i:c:p:663-675
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jbusres.2021.06.055
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    6. Mladenović, Dušan & Bruni, Roberto & Filieri, Raffaele & Ismagilova, Elvira & Kalia, Prateek & Jirásek, Michal, 2024. "The power of electronic Word of Mouth in inducing adoption of emerging technologies," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
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    8. Oana Pricopoaia & Irina Susanu & Sofia David & Florina Oana Virlanuta, 2024. "Applying Digital Marketing Strategies to Promote Tourist Areas in Romania in the Digital Era," The AMFITEATRU ECONOMIC journal, Academy of Economic Studies - Bucharest, Romania, vol. 26(Special 1), pages 1082-1082, November.
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    10. R. Filieri & F. Acikgoz & D. Hao, 2023. "Electronic word-of-mouth from video bloggers: The role of content quality and source homophily across hedonic and utilitarian products," Post-Print hal-04713695, HAL.
    11. Söderström, Charlotte & Mikalef, Patrick & Dypvik Landmark, Andreas & Gupta, Shivam, 2024. "Augmented reality (AR) marketing and consumer responses: A study of cue-utilization and habituation," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 182(C).
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    13. Ji, Elena & Mahmudur Rahman, Syed & Wilden, Ralf & Lin, Nidthida & Harrison, Norma, 2024. "Leveraging customer knowledge obtained through social media: The roles of R&D intensity and absorptive capacity," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 182(C).
    14. Li, Yuanshuo & Zhang, Zili & Pedersen, Susanne & Liu, Xudong & Zhang, Ziqiong, 2023. "The influence of relative popularity on negative fake reviews: A case study on restaurant reviews," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 162(C).
    15. Pourjahanshahi, Fatemeh & Mollahosseini, Ali & Dehyadegari, Saeid, 2023. "Website quality and users' intention to use digital libraries: Examining users’ attitudes, online co-creation experiences, and eWOM," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).
    16. Fitria Dwi Puspita & Abdul Wahib Muhaimin & Silvana Maulidah, 2024. "Study of Porang Rice Purchase Intention: Moderating Role of Price Sensitivity," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 8(1), pages 2630-2642, January.
    17. Han Yan & Rui Wang & Jin Qin, 2025. "Design factors of the tag-based review summarization system: Perspective of the consumers’ intention to use," Electronic Markets, Springer;IIM University of St. Gallen, vol. 35(1), pages 1-17, December.
    18. Yun Wang & Bo Yu & Jing Chen, 2025. "Factors affecting customer intention to return in online shopping: the roles of expectation disconfirmation and post-purchase dissonance," Electronic Commerce Research, Springer, vol. 25(4), pages 2729-2763, August.
    19. Lim, Weng Marc & Ahmed, Pervaiz Khalid & Ali, Md Yunus, 2022. "Giving electronic word of mouth (eWOM) as a prepurchase behavior: The case of online group buying," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 146(C), pages 582-604.
    20. G. Onofrei & R. Filieri & L. Kennedy, 2022. "Social media interactions, purchase intention, and behavioural engagement on social networking platforms: The mediating role of source and content factors," Post-Print hal-04779119, HAL.
    21. D. Mladenovic & E. Ismagilova & R. Filieri & Y. Dwivedi, 2024. "MetaWOM – toward a sensory word-of-mouth (WOM) in the metaverse," Post-Print hal-04582457, HAL.
    22. Huang, Rui & Huang, Minxue & Zhao, Jing & Liu, Yuan, 2024. "Absence makes the heart grow fonder: The interactive effect of crowding information and spatial distance on consumers’ patronage intention," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 176(C).
    23. Filieri, Raffaele & Acikgoz, Fulya & Du, Hao, 2023. "Electronic word-of-mouth from video bloggers: The role of content quality and source homophily across hedonic and utilitarian products," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 160(C).

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