Ethnic-matching effects: Examining impacts of identity status, ethnic identification, and review valence on online product review effectiveness
Abstract
Although online product reviews act as a key element of electronic word of mouth that aids consumer purchase decision making, research regarding the effect of reviewer ethnicity on review effectiveness has been scarce. This 2 (reviewer ethnicity) by 2 (participant ethnicity) by 2 (positive vs. negative review) experiment investigated influences of ethnicity, ethnic identification, and review valence on review effectiveness with a Caucasian and Asian American sample in the USA. Results showed that while Asian Americans (minorities) demonstrated higher attitude and adoption intention towards the review from an Asian American reviewer (compared to a Caucasian reviewer), this effect was stronger with participants with strong ethnic identification. Caucasian people tended to comply with a Caucasian reviewer more (compared to an Asian American reviewer) only when the review was positive. This study advanced understanding of ethnic-matching effects in consumer-to-consumer markets, and brought significant insights for marketers and promotion managers who are faced with an increasingly diverse market. This article is also included in The Business & Management Collection, which can be accessed at https://hstalks.com/business/.
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Author's Biography
Xiaowen Xu (PhD.) is an associate professor of strategic communication at Butler University. Her research interests involve examining users’ motivation and perceptions through the adoption of new media technology. She has been working on media effects projects on cognitive, emotional, and behavioural responses in consumer, health, and pro-environmental behaviour contexts. Her research has been published in Internet Research, Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, Science Communication, American Behavioural Scientist, and other journal outlets. Her recent projects focus on digital and multicultural marketing on various online platforms, including native advertising, consumer reviews, and influencer marketing.
