Language Abstraction in Negative Online Customer Reviews: The Choice of Corporate Response Strategy and Voice

Abstract

This study argues that the degree of linguistic abstraction in negative reviews can lead to varying levels of persuasiveness and that tailoring response strategies and voice according to the situation mitigates the impact of negative reviews. This study examines the impact of language abstraction in negative online reviews on potential customers' attitudes and purchase intention, as well as the moderating effects of managerial responses, response strategies, and response voices on the persuasiveness of negative reviews. The data were collected through three studies that focused on reviews and managerial responses across both the service and functional product categories. The mediation analysis showed that, compared to abstract negative reviews, concrete negative reviews could significantly enhance potential customers' attribution of responsibility toward service or product providers and their perception of stability and controllability of negative events, leading to a more negative perception of the company, but not lower purchase intention. Additionally, the moderation analysis showed that corporate responses could significantly reduce potential customers' attribution of responsibility to the disputing company and improve their evaluation. Accommodative responses to concrete negative reviews and defensive responses to abstract negative reviews induced potential customers to make favorable judgments about the firm. This study argues that the degree of linguistic abstraction in negative reviews can lead to varying levels of persuasiveness and that tailoring response strategies and voice according to the situation mitigates the impact of negative reviews. We intend to achieve the following objectives through three experiments. First, this study aims to confirm that observers of negative reviews will enhance their judgment of corporate responsibility for negative events and lower their evaluation of the company as linguistic specificity and clarity of negative reviews increase, providing a basis for businesses to effectively manage negative electronic reviews. Second, this study explores the interactive effects of response strategies, response tone, and linguistic style employed in response to negative reviews.