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

Jae Hee Park, Don Lee, Jungkun Park and Weon Sang Yoo
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Jae Hee Park: Associate Professor, School of Communication, University of North Florida, USA
Don Lee: Associate Professor, Department of Health and Human Performance, University of Houston, USA
Jungkun Park: Professor, Business School, Hanyang University, S. Korea
Weon Sang Yoo: Professor, Business School, Korea University, S. Korea

Journal of Brand Strategy, 2025, vol. 14, issue 3, 286-304

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. This article is also included in The Business & Management Collection which can be accessed at https://hstalks.com/business/

Keywords: electronic word of mouth; eWOM; third-person effects; TPEs; online product reviews; OPRs; brand attitude (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: M3 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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