Threatening Products and Threats to the Social Contract in Consumer Review Forums
Document Type
Presentation
Presentation Date
3-2014
Abstract or Description
Suspicion regarding dishonest electronic word-of-mouth is a growing concern for online consumers. Individual consumers are occasionally seen acting as product review forum ‘watchdogs’ within the websites they visit; posting vigilante comments against reviews they perceive to be fraudulent. This study investigates consumer ‘watchdog comments,’ and the way in which ego-threatening product categories themselves may actually induce a prosecutorial mindset, leading to greater levels of suspicion towards positive online product reviews and the impulse to prosecute potential fraudsters. A content analysis of actual Amazon.com reviews and consumer commentary indicates that the occurrence of ‘watchdog comments' is more common within ego-threatening product categories.
Sponsorship/Conference/Institution
Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Annual Conference (AMTP)
Location
Hilton Head, SC
Recommended Citation
Larson, Lindsay, Luther T. Denton.
2014.
"Threatening Products and Threats to the Social Contract in Consumer Review Forums."
Department of Marketing Faculty Presentations.
Presentation 5.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/marketing-facpres/5
