Information multidimensionality in online customer reviews

Fang Wang, Zhao Du and Shan Wang

Journal of Business Research, 2023, vol. 159, issue C

Abstract: Online customer reviews, as customer experience sharing, contain multiple dimensions of information that have rarely been systematically examined in prior research. Drawing from the customer experience literature, this research analyzes four dimensions of information embedded in online product reviews—namely, sensory information, cognitive information, affective information, and social information—and illustrates their importance by examining their diagnostic value to prospective customers. An empirical study on Amazon online reviews confirms that all four dimensions of information have significant effects on the diagnostic value of online reviews to prospective customers. Moreover, these effects are heterogeneous, contingent on the contextual conditions of product categories and review opinions. The study and findings of information multidimensionality provide a sound framework to glean insights into the rich content in online reviews and other electronic word-of-mouth content, which is crucial to understand customers’ pre-purchase information needs and experience journeys.

Keywords: Customer experience; Online reviews; Sensory information; Social information; Cognitive information; Affective information; Diagnostic value; eWOM (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:jbrese:v:159:y:2023:i:c:s0148296323000851

DOI: 10.1016/j.jbusres.2023.113727

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