| Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1029139 | Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services | 2013 | 9 Pages |
•Negative/positive product reviews lead to negative/positive product evaluations.•The knowledge that reviews are manipulated attenuates effects of negative reviews.•The effects of positive reviews do not depend on such knowledge.•High source credibility intensifies the knowledge effect.
The objective of this paper is to examine the effects of knowledge about manipulated online product reviews on the effectiveness of such reviews in influencing consumers' product evaluations. The results of two empirical studies show that consumers clearly differ with regard to their knowledge that product reviews can be manipulated and that consumers who have such knowledge are less influenced in their product evaluations by reviews, specifically by negative ones. Furthermore, the effects of negative reviews are even weaker when consumers acquire their knowledge through a highly credible source (compared to a less credible source).
