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Exploring customer satisfaction in Great Britain's retail energy sector Part I: The comparative use of Trustpilot online reviews in four sectors

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  • Littlechild, Stephen

Abstract

Online consumer reviews are now widely used and influential. Trustpilot is a relatively new but rapidly growing consumer review and rating website where companies can be active in inviting and responding to reviews. It is most used by retail energy suppliers and mobile phone providers and their customers and least used by supermarkets and banks. Company usage increased from 2019 to 2020, especially in mobiles. Large incumbent companies made least use of Trustpilot. Companies advising customers on energy suppliers are active users and score highly. Charitable and regulatory bodies are little reviewed, are inactive users and have very low scores.

Suggested Citation

  • Littlechild, Stephen, 2021. "Exploring customer satisfaction in Great Britain's retail energy sector Part I: The comparative use of Trustpilot online reviews in four sectors," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 73(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:juipol:v:73:y:2021:i:c:s0957178721001326
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jup.2021.101298
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Chrysanthos Dellarocas, 2003. "The Digitization of Word of Mouth: Promise and Challenges of Online Feedback Mechanisms," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 49(10), pages 1407-1424, October.
    2. Littlechild, Stephen, 2021. "Exploring customer satisfaction in Great Britain's retail energy sector part III: A proposed Overall Customer Satisfaction score," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 73(C).
    3. Littlechild, Stephen, 2021. "Exploring customer satisfaction in Great Britain's retail energy sector part II: The increasing use of Trustpilot online reviews," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 73(C).
    4. Xinxin Li & Lorin M. Hitt, 2008. "Self-Selection and Information Role of Online Product Reviews," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 19(4), pages 456-474, December.
    5. Dellarocas, Chrysanthos, 2003. "The Digitization of Word-of-mouth: Promise and Challenges of Online Feedback Mechanisms," Working papers 4296-03, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Sloan School of Management.
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    1. Littlechild, Stephen, 2021. "Exploring customer satisfaction in Great Britain's retail energy sector part II: The increasing use of Trustpilot online reviews," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 73(C).
    2. Littlechild, Stephen, 2021. "Exploring customer satisfaction in Great Britain's retail energy sector part III: A proposed Overall Customer Satisfaction score," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 73(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Online reviews; Customer feedback; Trustpilot;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • L15 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Information and Product Quality
    • L84 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Services - - - Personal, Professional, and Business Services
    • L94 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Transportation and Utilities - - - Electric Utilities

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