Insights into the Impact of Online Product Reviews on Consumer Purchasing Decisions: A Survey-based Analysis of Brands' Response Strategies

Sunil Sharma, Satish Kumar
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.19085/sijmd100101

Abstract

This paper explores the significance of online product reviews in the purchasing decisions of consumers. We conducted a survey of potential buyers to understand how important they view product reviews available on online marketplaces and search engines. We also examined the degree to which customers rely on product reviews when forming their buying decisions. Additionally, we investigated how brands and companies monitor and respond to online product reviews, as well as the strategies they use to improve their product development and marketing. Our findings reveal that online product reviews play a crucial role in shaping the opinions of consumers and can significantly influence their purchasing decisions. We also found that companies and brands actively monitor online product reviews and use them to improve their products and marketing strategies. The results of this study can provide valuable insights for companies looking to improve their customer relationship management (CRM) strategies and enhance their product development and marketing efforts.

Keywords

online product reviews, purchasing decisions, consumer behavior, brand management, marketing strategy, customer relationship management (CRM), customer satisfaction

Full Text:

PDF

References

Chen, Y., & Xie, J. (2005). Third-Party Product Review and Firm Marketing Strategy. Marketing Science, 24(2), 218–240. https://doi.org/10.1287/mksc.1040.0089

Karabas, I., Kareklas, I., Weber, T. J., & Muehling, D. D. (2020). The impact of review valence and awareness of deceptive practices on consumers’ responses to online product ratings and reviews. Journal of Marketing Communications, 27(3), 1–31. https://doi.org/10.1080/13527266.2020.1759120

Le, L. H., & Ha, Q.-A. (2021). Effects of negative reviews and managerial responses on consumer attitude and subsequent purchase behavior: An experimental design. Computers in Human Behavior, 124, 106912. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2021.106912

Lee, T. Y., & Bradlow, E. T. (2011). Automated Marketing Research Using Online Customer Reviews. Journal of Marketing Research, 48(5), 881–894. https://doi.org/10.1509/jmkr.48.5.881

Mo, Z., Li, Y.-F., & Fan, P. (2015). Effect of Online Reviews on Consumer Purchase Behavior. Journal of Service Science and Management, 08(03), 419–424. https://doi.org/10.4236/jssm.2015.83043

Moen, Ø., Havro, L. J., & Bjering, E. (2017). Online consumers reviews: Examining the moderating effects of product type and product popularity on the review impact on sales. Cogent Business & Management, 4(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/23311975.2017.1368114

Ullal, M. S., Spulbar, C., Hawaldar, I. T., Popescu, V., & Birau, R. (2021). The impact of online reviews on e-commerce sales in India: a case study. Economic Research-Ekonomska Istraživanja, 34(1), 2408–2422. https://doi.org/10.1080/1331677x.2020.1865179

Wang, H., & Wang, Y. (2020). A Review of Online Product Reviews. Journal of Service Science and Management, 13(01), 88–96. https://doi.org/10.4236/jssm.2020.131006

Xiao, L., & Li, Y. (2019). Examining the Effect of Positive Online Reviews on Consumers’ Decision Making. Journal of Global Information Management, 27(3), 159–181. https://doi.org/10.4018/jgim.2019070109

Yang, J., Sarathy, R., & Walsh, S. M. (2016). Do review valence and review volume impact consumers’ purchase decisions as assumed? Nankai Business Review International, 7(2), 231–257. https://doi.org/10.1108/nbri-11-2015-0028

Zarco, T. H. (2015). Effects of Online Review Valence on Consumer Attitudes and Behavioral Intentions. Philippine Management Review, 22. https://pmr.upd.edu.ph/index.php/pmr/article/view/285/280

Zhang, J., Zheng, W., & Wang, S. (2020). The study of the effect of online review on purchase behavior. International Journal of Crowd Science, 4(1), 73–86. https://doi.org/10.1108/ijcs-10-2019-0027

Be a part of worldclass research: Publish with us