Share:


Responses of Turkish consumers to product risk information in the context of negative eWOM

    Ülfet Işçi Affiliation
    ; Hakan Kitapçi Affiliation

Abstract

This study explores the risk-based effects of negative electronic word-of-mouth (neWOM) perception (financial and performance risks) on electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) credibility and purchase intention for promotion- and prevention-focused consumers. In this experimental study, a survey was conducted in which 344 people from Turkey participated. Automobiles were chosen as the subject of the survey because they are in the high-risk product category. The results from regression analysis show that the neWOM perception containing financial risk information plays a more significant role than the one containing performance risk in terms of the effect on eWOM credibility for both promotion- and prevention-focused consumers. Moreover, the neWOM containing performance risk has no effect on the eWOM credibility for promotion-focused consumers. When exposed to neWOM, the purchase intentions of both consumers are even more negatively affected by the neWOM information containing performance risk than the one with financial risk content. The results and future predictions are discussed.

Keyword : neWOM, regulatory focus theory, purchase intention, eWOM credibility, perceived risk, online complaint

How to Cite
Işçi, Ülfet, & Kitapçi, H. (2020). Responses of Turkish consumers to product risk information in the context of negative eWOM. Journal of Business Economics and Management, 21(6), 1593-1609. https://doi.org/10.3846/jbem.2020.13383
Published in Issue
Oct 1, 2020
Abstract Views
1892
PDF Downloads
1226
Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

References

Aaker, J. L., & Lee, A. Y. (2006). Understanding regulatory fit. Journal of Marketing Research, 43(1), 15–19. https://doi.org/10.1509/jmkr.43.1.15

Ali, H. A., Farhad, G., & Nooshin, G. T. (2010). A study of the role of perceived risk and user characteristics in Internet purchase intention. World Academy of Science, 66, 43–47.

Avnet, T., & Higgins, E. T. (2006). How regulatory fit affects value in consumer choices and opinions. Journal of Marketing Research, 43, 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1509/jmkr.43.1.1

Babic-Rosario, A., Sotgiu, F., & de Valck, K. (2020). Conceptualizing the electronic word-of-mouth process. What we know and need to know about eWOM creation, exposure, and evaluation. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 48, 422–448. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11747-019-00706-1

Beneke, J., de Sousa, S., Mbuyu, M., & Wickham, B. (2016). The effect of negative online customer reviews on brand equity and purchase intention of consumer electronics in South Africa. The International Review of Retail, Distribution and Consumer Research, 26(2), 171–201. https://doi.org/10.1080/09593969.2015.1068828

Berger, J., Sorensen, A. T., & Rasmussen, S. J. (2010). Positive effects of negative publicity: When negative reviews increase sales. Marketing Science, 29(5), 815–827. https://doi.org/10.1287/mksc.1090.0557

Camacho, C. J., Higgins, E. T., & Luger, L. (2003). Moral value transfer from regulatory fit: ‘What feels right is right’ and ‘what feels wrong is wrong’. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 84, 498–510. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.84.3.498

Cesario, J., Grant, H., & Higgins, E. T. (2004). Regulatory fit and persuasion: transfer from ‘feeling right’. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 86, 388–404. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.86.3.388

Chang, E. C., & Tseng, Y. F. (2013). Research note: e-store image, perceived value and perceived risk. Journal of Business Research, 66, 864–870. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2011.06.012

Cheung, M., Luo, C. S., & Chen, H. (2009). Credibility of electronic word-of-mouth: informational and normative determinants of on-line consumer recommendations. International Journal of Electronic Commerce, 14(3), 9–38. https://doi.org/10.2753/JEC1086-4415130402

Chevalier, J. A., & Mayzlin, D. (2006). The effect of word of mouth on sales: online book reviews. Journal of Marketing Research, 38(3), 345–354. https://doi.org/10.1509/jmkr.43.3.345

Coyle, J. R., & Thorson, E. (2001). The effects of progressive levels of interactivity and vividness in web marketing sites. Journal of Advertising, 30, 65–77. https://doi.org/10.1080/00913367.2001.10673646

Dellarocas, C. (2003). The digitization of word of mouth: Promise and challenges of online feedback mechanism. Management Science, 49(10), 1407–1424. https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.49.10.1407.17308

Fine, M. B., Gironda, J., & Petrescu, M. (2017). Prosumer motivations for electronic word-of mouth communication behaviors. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Technology, 8(2), 280–295. https://doi.org/10.1108/JHTT-09-2016-0048

Förster, J., Higgins, E. T., & Bianco, A. T. (2003). Speed accuracy decisions in task performance: built in trade-off or separate strategic concerns? Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 90, 148–164. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0749-5978(02)00509-5

Franagin, A., Metzger, M., Pure, R., Markov, A., & Hartsel, E. (2014). Mitigating risk in ecommerce transactions: perceptions of information credibility and the role of user generated ratings in product quality and purchase intention. Electronic Commerce Research, 14(1), 1–23. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10660-014-9139-2

Halamish, V., Liberman, N., Higgins, E. T., & Idson, L. C. (2007). Regulatory focus effects on discounting over uncertainty for losses vs. gains. Journal of Economic Psychology, 29(5), 654–666. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joep.2007.09.002

Hamstra, M. R. W., Bolderdijk, J. W., & Veldstra, J. L. (2011). Everyday risk taking as a function of regulatory focus. Journal of Research in Personality, 45(1), 134–137. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrp.2010.11.017

Hennig-Thurau, T., & Walsh, G. (2003). Electronic word-of-mouth: motives for and consequences of reading customer articulations on the Internet. International Journal of Electronic Commerce, 8(2), 51–74. https://doi.org/10.1080/10864415.2003.11044293

Hennig-Thurau, T., Gwinner, K. P., Walsh, G., & Gremler, D. D. (2004). Electronic word-of-mouth via consumer-opinion platforms: What motivates consumers to articulate themselves on the internet? Journal of Interactive Marketing, 18(1), 38–52. https://doi.org/10.1002/dir.10073

Herzenstein, M., Posavac, S. S., & Brakus, J. J. (2007). Adoption of new and really new products: The effects of self-regulation systems and risk salience. Journal of Marketing Research, 44(2), 251–260. https://doi.org/10.1509/jmkr.44.2.251

Higgins, E. T. (1997). Beyond pleasure and pain. American Psychologist, 52(12), 1280–1300. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.52.12.1280

Higgins, E. T., Friedman, R. S., Harlow, R. E., Idson, L. C., Ayduk, O. N., & Taylor, A. (2001). Achievement orientations from subjective histories of success: Promotion pride versus prevention pride. European Journal of Social Psychology, 31(1), 3–23. https://doi.org/10.1002/ejsp.27

Higgins, E. T., & Spiegel, S. (2004). Promotion and prevention strategies for self-regulation: a motivated cognition perspective. In R. F. Baumeister & K. D. Vohs (Eds.), Handbook of self-regulation (pp. 171–187). The Guilford Press.

Himmelreich, S. (2019). Digitale Unternehmenskritiker. Determinanten unternehmens- kritischer Kommentare im Internet. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-26747-6_5

Hong, J., & Lee, A. Y. (2008). Be fit and be strong: mastering self-regulation through regulatory fit. Journal of Consumer Research, 34(5), 682–695. https://doi.org/10.1086/521902

Hsu, C.-L., Yu, L.-C., & Chang, K.-C. (2017). Exploring the effects of online customer reviews, regulatory focus, and product type on purchase intention: Perceived justice as a moderator. Computers in Human Behavior, 69, 335–346. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2016.12.056

Hussain, S., Ahmed, W., Jafar, R. M., Rabnawaz, A., & Jianzhou, Y. (2017). eWOM source credibility, perceived risk and food product customer’s information adoption. Computers in Human Behavior, 66, 96–102. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2016.09.034

Ismagilova E., Slade, E., Rana, N. P., & Dwidedi, K. Y. (2020). The effect of characteristics of source credibility on consumer behaviour: a meta-analysis. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Service, 53, 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2019.01.005

Jacoby, J., & Kaplan, L. B. (1972). The components of perceived risk. Proceedings of the Third Annual Conference of the Association for Consumer Research, 10, 382–393.

Jiménez, F. R., & Mendoza, N. A. (2013). Too popular to ignore: the influence of online reviews on purchase intentions of search and experience products. Journal of Interactive Marketing, 27(3), 226–235. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.intmar.2013.04.004

Kim, M., & Lee, M. (2015). Effects of review characteristics and consumer regulatory focus on perceived review usefulness. Social Behavior and Personality, 43(8), 1319–1333. https://doi.org/10.2224/sbp.2015.43.8.1319

Kreutzer, R. T. (2015). Digitale revolution. Auswirkungen auf das Marketing. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-09394-5

Kreutzer, R. T. (2019). Online marketing (2nd ed.). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-25360-8

Ku, Y. C., Wei C. P., & Hsiao, H. W. (2012). To whom should I listen? Finding reputable reviewers in opinion-sharing communities. Decision Support Systems, 53(3), 534–542. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dss.2012.03.003

Kumashiro, M., Rusbult, C. E., Finkenauer, C., & Stocker, S. L. (2007). To think or to do: The impact of assessment and locomotion orientation on the Michelangelo phenomenon. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 24(4), 591–611. https://doi.org/10.1177/0265407507079261

Lee, A. Y., & Aaker, J. L. (2004). Bringing the frame into focus: the influence of regulatory fit on processing fluency and persuasion. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 86(2), 205–218. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.86.2.205

Lee, K.-T., & Koo, D.-M. (2012). Effects of attribute and valence of e-WOM on message adoption: Moderating roles of subjective knowledge and regulatory focus. Computers in Human Behavior, 28(5), 1974–1984. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2012.05.018

Lin, T. M. Y., & Fang, C.-H. (2006).The effects of perceived risk on the word-of-mouth communication dyad. Social Behavior and Personality: An International Journal, 34(10), 1207–1216. https://doi.org/10.2224/sbp.2006.34.10.1207

Lin, H.-F., & Shen, F. (2012). Regulatory focus and attribute framing: Evidence of compatibility effects in advertising. International Journal of Advertising, 31, 169–188. https://doi.org/10.2501/IJA-31-1-169-188

Lis, B. & Fischer, M. (2020). Analyzing different types of negative online consumer reviews. Journal of Product & Brand Management, 29(5), 637–653. https://doi.org/10.1108/JPBM-05-2018-1876

Luo, H., Huang, W., Chen, C., Xie, K., & Fan, Y. (2018, July). An empirical study on the impact of negative online word-of-mouth on consumer’s purchase intention. In 15th International Conference on Service Systems and Service Management (ICSSSM) (pp. 1–6). IEEE. https://doi.org/10.1109/ICSSSM.2018.8465093

Nan, G., Yang, J., & Dou, R. (2017). Do only review characteristics affect consumers’ online behaviors? A study of relationship between reviews. Journal of Electronic Commerce Research, 18(4), 330–345.

Park, C., & Lee, M. T. (2009). Antecedents of online reviews’ usage and purchase influence: an empirical comparison of U.S. and Korean consumers. Journal of Interactive Marketing, 23(4), 332–340. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.intmar.2009.07.001

Park, C., Wang, Y., Yao, Y., & Kang, Y. R. (2011). Factors influencing e-WOM effects: using experience, credibility and susceptibility. International Journal of Social Science and Humanity, 1(1), 74–79. https://doi.org/10.7763/IJSSH.2011.V1.13

Prendergast, G., Ko, D., & Yuen, S. Y. V. (2010). Online word of mouth and consumer purchase intention. International Journal of Advertising, 29(5), 687–708. https://doi.org/10.2501/S0265048710201427

Shihab, M. R., & Putri, A. (2019). Negative online reviews of popular products: understanding the effects of review proportion and quality on consumers’ attitude and intention to buy. Electronic Commerce Research, 19(1), 159–187. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10660-018-9294-y

Schöler, A. (2010). Negative Mundpropaganda durch Beschwerden. In A. M. Schüller, & T. Schwarz (Eds.), Leifaden WOM Marketing (pp. 375–388). Marketing-BÖRSE.

Steckel, J. H., Winer, R. S., Bucklin, R. E., Dellaert, B. G. C., Dreze, X., Haubl, G., Jap, S. D., Little, J. D. C., Meyvis, T., Montgomery, A. L., & Rangaswamy, A. (2005). Choice in interactive environments. Marketing Letters, 16(3/4), 309–320. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11002-005-5894-0

Stone, R. N., & Mason, B. J. (1995). Attitude and risk: exploring the relationship. Psychology and Marketing, 12(2), 135–153. https://doi.org/10.1002/mar.4220120205

Strauss, B., & Seidel, W. (2007). Complaint management, dissatisfied customers as beneficial target group (4th ed.). Hanser.

Thomas, M.-J., Wirtz, B. W., & Weyerer, J. C. (2019). Determinants of online review credibility and its impact on consumers’ purchase intention. Journal of Electronic Commerce Research, 20(1), 1–21.

Tian, L., & Ren, G. (2009). Research on the perceived risk of consumer in e-business [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. Beijing Union University, Beijing, China.

Tropp, J. (2019). Moderne Marketing-Kommunikation: Grundlagen, Prozess und Managementmarkt -und kundenorientierter Unternehmenskommunikation. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-25318-9

Van Noort, G., Kerkhof, P., & Fennis, B. M. (2008). The persuasiveness of online safety cues: The impact of prevention focus compatibility of web content on consumers’ risk perceptions, attitudes, and intentions. Journal of Interactive Marketing, 22, 58–72. https://doi.org/10.1002/dir.20121

Vellis, R. F. De (2003). Scale development: Theory and applications, (2nd ed.). Sage Publications.

Wetzer, I. M., Zeelenberg, M., & Pieters, R. (2007). Never eat in that restaurant, I did: Exploring why people engage in negative word-of-mouth communication. Psychology and Marketing, 24(8), 661– 680. https://doi.org/10.1002/mar.20178

Zhang, J., Craciun, G., & Shin, D. (2010). When does electronic word-of-mouth matter? A study of consumer product reviews. Journal of Business Research, 63(12), 1336–1341. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2009.12.011