IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/joreco/v78y2024ics0969698924000882.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Are high-status reviewers more likely to seek anonymity? Evidence from an online review platform

Author

Listed:
  • Zhang, Zhiyun
  • Zhang, Ziqiong
  • Liu, Sen
  • Zhang, Zili

Abstract

Nearly all ecommerce platforms have adopted hierarchical status systems to encourage user contributions. Although many studies have explored how online reviewer status influences consumer contributions, how reviewer status affects reviewer preferences for anonymity, which is an important factor in consumer assessments of review credibility and consumer purchase decisions, is still unclear. In this paper, underpinned by hierarchical status and psychological theories, an empirical analysis is conducted regarding the ways that reviewer status shapes reviewer preferences for anonymity. Utilizing online review data from Ctrip.com and employing advanced text mining methods, we reveal that reviewer status positively influences their preferences for anonymity, but this effect is weaker for business-travel reviewers than for leisure-travel reviewers. Additionally, this positive effect is attenuated by reviewer openness but strengthened by reviewer conscientiousness. However, the moderating effect of reviewer neuroticism is not significant. Our findings substantially contribute to the literature on hierarchical status and information disclosure and provide significant practical guidance for incentive designers in the ecommerce domain.

Suggested Citation

  • Zhang, Zhiyun & Zhang, Ziqiong & Liu, Sen & Zhang, Zili, 2024. "Are high-status reviewers more likely to seek anonymity? Evidence from an online review platform," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:joreco:v:78:y:2024:i:c:s0969698924000882
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jretconser.2024.103792
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0969698924000882
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.jretconser.2024.103792?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Gordon Burtch & Anindya Ghose & Sunil Wattal, 2016. "Secret Admirers: An Empirical Examination of Information Hiding and Contribution Dynamics in Online Crowdfunding," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 27(3), pages 478-496, September.
    2. Jai, Tun-Min (Catherine) & King, Nancy J., 2016. "Privacy versus reward: Do loyalty programs increase consumers' willingness to share personal information with third-party advertisers and data brokers?," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 28(C), pages 296-303.
    3. Liang, Sai & Li, Hui & Liu, Xianwei & Schuckert, Markus, 2019. "Motivators behind information disclosure: Evidence from Airbnb hosts," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 305-319.
    4. Eva Lermer & Bernhard Streicher & Rainer Sachs & Martina Raue & Dieter Frey, 2016. "Thinking Concretely Increases the Perceived Likelihood of Risks: The Effect of Construal Level on Risk Estimation," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 36(3), pages 623-637, March.
    5. Ert, Eyal & Fleischer, Aliza & Magen, Nathan, 2016. "Trust and reputation in the sharing economy: The role of personal photos in Airbnb," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 62-73.
    6. Song, Christina Soyoung & Kim, Youn-Kyung, 2021. "Predictors of consumers’ willingness to share personal information with fashion sales robots," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 63(C).
    7. Rodríguez-Priego, Nuria & Porcu, Lucia & Prados Peña, María Belén & Crespo Almendros, Esmeralda, 2023. "Perceived customer care and privacy protection behavior: The mediating role of trust in self-disclosure," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
    8. Degutis, Mindaugas & UrbonaviÄ ius, Sigitas & Hollebeek, Linda D. & Anselmsson, Johan, 2023. "Consumers’ willingness to disclose their personal data in e-commerce: A reciprocity-based social exchange perspective," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).
    9. Panagiotis Adamopoulos & Anindya Ghose & Vilma Todri, 2018. "The Impact of User Personality Traits on Word of Mouth: Text-Mining Social Media Platforms," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 29(3), pages 612-640, September.
    10. Liu, Jianwei & Zhang, Xiaofei & Meng, Fanbo & Lai, Kee-hung, 2020. "Deploying gamification to engage physicians in an online health community: An operational paradox," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 228(C).
    11. Chris Forman & Anindya Ghose & Batia Wiesenfeld, 2008. "Examining the Relationship Between Reviews and Sales: The Role of Reviewer Identity Disclosure in Electronic Markets," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 19(3), pages 291-313, September.
    12. Ran Kivetz & Oleg Urminsky & Yuhuang Zheng, 2006. "The Goal-Gradient Hypothesis Resurrected: Purchase Acceleration, Illusionary Goal Progress, and Customer Retention," Natural Field Experiments 00658, The Field Experiments Website.
    13. Paulo B. Goes & Chenhui Guo & Mingfeng Lin, 2016. "Do Incentive Hierarchies Induce User Effort? Evidence from an Online Knowledge Exchange," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 27(3), pages 497-516, September.
    14. Pallant, Jason I. & Pallant, Jessica L. & Sands, Sean J. & Ferraro, Carla R. & Afifi, Eslam, 2022. "When and how consumers are willing to exchange data with retailers: An exploratory segmentation," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    15. Luo, Yingyu & Zhou, Li & Huang, Jing & Wang, Xiaoxin & Sun, Rui & Zhu, Guowei, 2023. "Platform perspective verse user perspective: The role of expression perspective in privacy disclosure," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 73(C).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Urbonavicius, Sigitas, 2023. "Relative power of online buyers in regard to a store: How it encourages them to disclose their personal data?," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 75(C).
    2. Chen, Yanyan & Mandler, Timo & Meyer-Waarden, Lars, 2021. "Three decades of research on loyalty programs: A literature review and future research agenda," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 124(C), pages 179-197.
    3. Gutt, Dominik & von Rechenberg, Tobias & Kundisch, Dennis, 2020. "Goal achievement, subsequent user effort and the moderating role of goal difficulty," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 106(C), pages 277-287.
    4. Ravi Bapna & Edward McFowland & Probal Mojumder & Jui Ramaprasad & Akhmed Umyarov, 2023. "So, Who Likes You? Evidence from a Randomized Field Experiment," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 69(7), pages 3939-3957, July.
    5. Osterbrink Lars & Alpar Paul & Seher Alexander, 2020. "Influence of Images in Online Reviews for Search Goods on Helpfulness," Review of Marketing Science, De Gruyter, vol. 18(1), pages 43-73, September.
    6. Lu, Shijie & Xie, Ying & Chen, Xingyu, 2023. "Immediate and enduring effects of digital badges on online content consumption and generation," International Journal of Research in Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 40(1), pages 146-163.
    7. Yang Jiang & Yi-Chun (Chad) Ho & Xiangbin Yan & Yong Tan, 2022. "What’s in a “Username”? The Effect of Perceived Anonymity on Herding in Crowdfunding," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 33(1), pages 1-17, March.
    8. Zheng, Zuolong & Li, Ziying & Zhang, Xuwen & Liang, Sai & Law, Rob & Lei, Jiasu, 2023. "Substitution or complementary effects between hosts and neighbors’ information disclosure: Evidence from Airbnb," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 161(C).
    9. Li, Hengyun & Wang, Qian & Li, Gang & Cai, Danting, 2023. "Do looks matter for hosts on the peer-to-peer sharing accommodation market?," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 98(C).
    10. Zhihong Ke & De Liu & Daniel J. Brass, 2020. "Do Online Friends Bring Out the Best in Us? The Effect of Friend Contributions on Online Review Provision," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 31(4), pages 1322-1336, December.
    11. Jingchuan Pu & Yuan Chen & Liangfei Qiu & Hsing Kenneth Cheng, 2020. "Does Identity Disclosure Help or Hurt User Content Generation? Social Presence, Inhibition, and Displacement Effects," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 31(2), pages 297-322, June.
    12. Gordon Burtch & Qinglai He & Yili Hong & Dokyun Lee, 2022. "How Do Peer Awards Motivate Creative Content? Experimental Evidence from Reddit," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 68(5), pages 3488-3506, May.
    13. Kawaljeet Kaur Kapoor & Kuttimani Tamilmani & Nripendra P. Rana & Pushp Patil & Yogesh K. Dwivedi & Sridhar Nerur, 2018. "Advances in Social Media Research: Past, Present and Future," Information Systems Frontiers, Springer, vol. 20(3), pages 531-558, June.
    14. Boto-García, David & Balado-Naves, Roberto & Mayor, Matías & Baños-Pino, José Francisco, 2023. "Consumers' demand for operational licencing: evidence from Airbnb in Paris," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 100(C).
    15. Hamilton, Kathy & Hewer, Paul & Tonner, Andrea, 2022. "Authoritative performances of care in home exchange," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).
    16. Cheng, Junjun & Chen, Bo & Huang, Zihang, 2023. "Collective-based ad transparency in targeted hotel advertising: Consumers’ regulatory focus underlying the crowd safety effect," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
    17. Jorge Padilla, 2020. "Big Tech “banks”, financial stability and regulation," Revista de Estabilidad Financiera, Banco de España, issue Spring.
    18. Jing Wang & Gen Li & Kai-Lung Hui, 2022. "Monetary Incentives and Knowledge Spillover: Evidence from a Natural Experiment," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 68(5), pages 3549-3572, May.
    19. Irina Heimbach & Oliver Hinz, 2018. "The Impact of Sharing Mechanism Design on Content Sharing in Online Social Networks," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 29(3), pages 592-611, September.
    20. Wei Hong & Changyuan Zheng & Linhai Wu & Xujin Pu, 2019. "Analyzing the Relationship between Consumer Satisfaction and Fresh E-Commerce Logistics Service Using Text Mining Techniques," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(13), pages 1-16, June.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:joreco:v:78:y:2024:i:c:s0969698924000882. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/journal-of-retailing-and-consumer-services .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.