Passing down the Experience: Exploring the Effects of Online Customer Reviews on Service Diagnosticity

Fei Liu, Chee Wee Tan, Eric T.K. Lim, Bo Xiao

Research output: Chapter in book / Conference proceedingConference article published in proceeding or bookAcademic researchpeer-review

Abstract

Consumers are growing increasingly dependent on Online Customer Reviews (OCRs) when making consumption decisions, more so for services due to their intangibility and variability. To this end, we advance a research model that explores how numerical ratings and opinionated reviews, as key constituents of OCRs, affects consumers’ evaluation of service diagnosticity, which in turn enhances the latter’s decision making process. Furthermore, we postulate that consumers’ preference structure will determine the effectiveness of numerical ratings and opinionated reviews on service diagnosticity. Our research model was subsequently validated via a field study that was conducted on a custom developed online restaurant review site. Results suggest that numerical rating and opinionated review can amplify the effectiveness and efficiency of consumers’ decision making process by bolstering the latter’s ability to diagnose a given service. Nevertheless, the effects of numerical ratings and opinionated reviews are moderated by consumers’ preferences for content relevance and self-reference.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationICIS 2017
Subtitle of host publicationTransforming Society with Digital Innovation
PublisherAssociation for Information Systems
ISBN (Print)9780996683159
Publication statusPublished - 2018
Externally publishedYes
Event38th International Conference on Information Systems: Transforming Society with Digital Innovation, ICIS 2017 - Seoul, Korea, Republic of
Duration: 10 Dec 201713 Dec 2017

Publication series

NameICIS 2017: Transforming Society with Digital Innovation

Conference

Conference38th International Conference on Information Systems: Transforming Society with Digital Innovation, ICIS 2017
Country/TerritoryKorea, Republic of
CitySeoul
Period10/12/1713/12/17

Keywords

  • Decisional outcome
  • Decisional process
  • MBTI
  • Online customer reviews
  • Psychological preferences
  • Service diagnosticity

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Computer Science Applications
  • Information Systems

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