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Explaining consumer suspicion: insights of a vignette study on online product reviews

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  • Tim Kollmer

    (Universität Innsbruck)

  • Andreas Eckhardt

    (Universität Innsbruck)

  • Victoria Reibenspiess

    (Carson College of Business)

Abstract

As part of the online product and service selection and purchase process, many consumers consult and rely on online product reviews. In order to persuade potential customers to buy their products, many organizations and businesses post deceptive product reviews of their own products on their own or third-party websites to their advantage. This creates consumer suspicion about the authenticity and veracity of online product reviews. To better understand how consumers’ experiences of having been deceived by deceptive online product reviews in the past and the density of deception characteristics in an online product review influence their level of suspicion about the review and, ultimately, their intention to buy the product, we conduct a 3 × 3 vignette study. Our results indicate that deceptive characteristics in online product reviews and prior encounters with deception in online marketplaces increase consumer suspicion. Furthermore, we show that preference for a specific product decreases consumer suspicion about reviews of that product. Lastly, we demonstrate that consumer suspicion towards a product decreases purchase intention.

Suggested Citation

  • Tim Kollmer & Andreas Eckhardt & Victoria Reibenspiess, 2022. "Explaining consumer suspicion: insights of a vignette study on online product reviews," Electronic Markets, Springer;IIM University of St. Gallen, vol. 32(3), pages 1221-1238, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:elmark:v:32:y:2022:i:3:d:10.1007_s12525-022-00549-9
    DOI: 10.1007/s12525-022-00549-9
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Rainer Alt, 2022. "Electronic Markets on platform culture," Electronic Markets, Springer;IIM University of St. Gallen, vol. 32(3), pages 1019-1031, September.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Product reviews; Online purchasing behavior; Deception; Suspicion; Vignette study;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • M1 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Administration

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