Title: Your comments are important to me! The impacts of online customer reviews in shopping websites

Authors: Ismail Erkan; Abdulaziz Elwalda

Addresses: Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Izmir Katip Celebi University, ?zmir, Turkey ' Faculty of Economics and Political Science, Misurata University, Misurata, Libya

Abstract: The aim of this study is to examine the influence of Online Customer Reviews (OCRs) on consumers' purchase intentions, and to understand the role of attitude on information adoption within the computer-mediated communication platforms. For this purpose, a research model was developed based on the Information Adoption Model (IAM). The model was empirically tested and validated through Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). The data were collected from a sample of 384 university students. The results confirm that attitude plays an important role on information adoption; and the following are among the key factors which influence consumers' purchase intentions: eWOM quality, eWOM credibility, attitude towards eWOM, perceived eWOM usefulness, and eWOM adoption. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed as well as recommended for future studies.

Keywords: OCRs; online customer reviews; eWOM; electronic word of mouth; shopping websites; purchase intention; information adoption model; OCRs adoption model.

DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2018.089200

International Journal of Internet Marketing and Advertising, 2018 Vol.12 No.1, pp.1 - 18

Received: 09 Mar 2017
Accepted: 08 May 2017
Published online: 09 Jan 2018 *

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