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dc.contributor.authorForman, Chris-
dc.contributor.authorGhose, Anindya-
dc.contributor.authorWiesenfeld, Batia-
dc.date.accessioned2008-11-06T18:17:40Z-
dc.date.available2008-11-06T18:17:40Z-
dc.date.issued2008-11-06T18:17:40Z-
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/2451/27748-
dc.description.abstractConsumer-generated product reviews have proliferated online, driven by the notion that consumers’ decision to purchase or not purchase a product is based on the positive or negative information about that product they obtain from fellow consumers. Using research on information processing as a foundation, we suggest that in the context of an online community, reviewer disclosure of identity-descriptive information is used by consumers to supplement or replace product information when making purchase decisions and evaluating the helpfulness of online reviews. Using a unique data set based on both chronologically compiled ratings as well as reviewer characteristics for a given set of products and geographical location-based purchasing behavior from Amazon, we provide evidence that community norms are an antecedent to reviewer disclosure of identity-descriptive information. Online community members rate reviews containing identity-descriptive information more positively, and the prevalence of reviewer disclosure of identity information is associated with increases in subsequent online product sales. In addition, we show that shared geographical location increases the relationship between disclosure and product sales, thus highlighting the important role of geography in electronic commerce. Taken together, our results suggest that identity-relevant information about reviewers shapes community members’ judgment of products and reviews. Implications for research on the relationship between online word-of-mouth (WOM) and sales, peer recognition and reputation systems, and conformity to online community norms are discusseden
dc.description.sponsorshipNYU, Stern School of Business, IOMS Department, Center for Digital Economy Researchen
dc.format.extent202627 bytes-
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdf-
dc.language.isoen_USen
dc.relation.ispartofseriesCeDER-PP-2008-01en
dc.subjectdigital marketsen
dc.subjectinformation processingen
dc.subjectsocial identityen
dc.subjectonline reviewsen
dc.subjectinternet retailingen
dc.subjectvirtual communitiesen
dc.subjectidentity disclosureen
dc.subjectuser-generated contenten
dc.titleExamining the Relationship Between Reviews and Sales: The Role of Reviewer Identity Disclosure in Electronic Marketsen
dc.typeArticleen
Appears in Collections:CeDER Published Papers

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