The Effect of E-WOM Presentation Order on Consumer Attitude: The Moderating Role of E-WOM Sources

Internet, as a new channel of WOM, enables consumers to get multiply WOM messages. However, there is a very real consumer situation that consumers may receive opposite messages (positive-negative) from the same sources. According to tie strength, this paper divides e-WOM sources into strong tie sources and weak tie sources, examining how e-WOM sources moderate the influence of e-WOM presentation order on consumer attitude. The results of empirical study show that when opposite e-WOM messages from strong ties, consumers will be more influenced by the later e-WOM message. Hence, consumer attitude will be more positive in negative-positive e-WOM order than positive-negative order. However, when consumers receive opposite e-WOM messages from weak ties, consumer attitude will be more influenced by negative e-WOM instead of e-WOM presentation order. That is, no matter e-WOM presentation order maybe, it will lead to negative attitude of consumers.

[1]  Peter H. Reingen,et al.  Social Ties and Word-of-Mouth Referral Behavior , 1987 .

[2]  Bo Yu,et al.  Does the Valence of Online Consumer Reviews matter for Consumer Decision Making? The Moderating Role of Consumer Expertise , 2011, J. Comput..

[3]  Erin M. Steffes,et al.  Social ties and online word of mouth , 2009, Internet Res..

[4]  Dimple R. Thadani,et al.  The impact of electronic word-of-mouth communication: A literature analysis and integrative model , 2012, Decis. Support Syst..

[5]  Yong Liu.  Word-of-Mouth for Movies: Its Dynamics and Impact on Box Office Revenue , 2006 .

[6]  Cheol Park,et al.  Information direction, website reputation and eWOM effect: A moderating role of product type , 2009 .

[7]  Dwayne D. Gremler,et al.  Electronic word-of-mouth via consumer-opinion platforms: What motivates consumers to articulate themselves on the Internet? , 2004 .

[8]  Curtis P. Haugtvedt,et al.  Message Order Effects in Persuasion: An Attitude Strength Perspective , 1994 .

[9]  P. Shekelle,et al.  Web appendix A , 2013 .

[10]  Jacquelyn A. Burkell,et al.  Believe it or not: Factors influencing credibility on the Web , 2002, J. Assoc. Inf. Sci. Technol..

[11]  Scott Highhouse,et al.  Order Effects in Personnel Decision Making , 1997 .

[12]  S. Chaiken.  Heuristic versus systematic information processing and the use of source versus message cues in persuasion. , 1980 .

[13]  R. E. Burnkrant,et al.  Consumer Response to Negative Publicity: The Moderating Role of Commitment , 2000 .

[14]  Xin Luo,et al.  Impact of informational factors on online recommendation credibility: The moderating role of source credibility , 2013, Decis. Support Syst..

[15]  Irwin P. Levin,et al.  Order effects in belief updating with consistent and inconsistent evidence , 1993 .

[16]  J. Gotlieb,et al.  The Moderating Effects of Message Framing and Source Credibility on the Price-perceived Risk Relationship , 1994 .

[17]  J. Arndt.  Role of Product-Related Conversations in the Diffusion of a New Product , 1967 .

[18]  Jonathan K. Frenzen,et al.  Purchasing Behavior in Embedded Markets , 1990 .