Exaggerated statements in online consumer reviews: causes and implications

Mark Anthony Camilleri (), Shakti Bodh Bhatnagar () and Debarun Chakraborty ()
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Mark Anthony Camilleri: University of Malta
Shakti Bodh Bhatnagar: Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies (NMIMS) University
Debarun Chakraborty: Indian Institute of Management Nagpur

Service Business, 2025, vol. 19, issue 3, No 3, 22 pages

Abstract: Abstract This study investigates the factors that contribute to the creation of inflated consumer testimonials. Quantitative data were gathered from four-hundred forty (440) respondents who shared their service experiences through popular social media platforms. A covariance-based structural equations model approach has been used to analyze the data. The results suggest that psychological and emotional factors including the consumers’ self-image, self-enhancement as well as their motivations for retribution against service providers, were having a significant effect on the development of amplified review content.

Keywords: Consumer reviews; Constructive reviews; Altruistic reviews; Overblown reviews; Tourism and hospitality (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1007/s11628-025-00590-6

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