Third-person effects of online product reviews: Moderating roles of review tone, product involvement and customer loyalty

Abstract

This paper examines how online customers perceive the power of online product reviews (OPRs) for themselves and other customers and the effects of reviews on brand attitude, purchase intention and electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) intention according to the third-person effect (TPE) hypothesis. Using a sample of 1,571 online shoppers, this experimental study looks into the effects of message tone (positive versus negative online reviews), involvement (high-involvement versus low-involvement products) and loyalty (loyal customers versus non-loyal customers) on online consumer behaviours. Overall findings confirm the TPEs of OPRs on eWOM intention, but not on brand attitude and purchase intention. Consumers tend to believe that other customers are more likely to be involved in eWOM intention than they are by writing positive OPRs when they are purchasing low-involvement products. Although message tone, product type and brand loyalty (ie positive OPRs, OPRs of low-involvement products and status of loyal customers) influence consumers’ brand attitude and generally increase purchase intention, the TPEs of OPRs on brand attitude and purchase intention are not significant. These findings provide implications for marketers who target the growing online customer base upon the influence of OPRs in the online environment.