Motivations of Electronic Word-of-Mouth Communications by Reviewers: A Proposed Study

Abstract:     
Shopping sites, such as Amazon, encourage consumers to create online reviews for products through product reviews. Such review systems enhance the value of Amazon and eBay as shopping destinations. However, Amazon takes it one step further by allowing other consumers to rate the reviews, creating reputation systems for reviewers. Those reviewers with the highest ratings are given greater prominence. They are featured first in the listings, they are given an honorary title, membership in an honorary group, and sometimes they are even provided with products in advance of the product’s release. These reviewers work long hours, without pay, to provide a valuable service to their fellow consumers. For instance, the top 1000 reviewers each write hundreds of reviews. What exactly motivates this extraordinary effort? How does the reputation system of helpfulness votes affect the case for Amazon’s reviewers?

Number of Pages in PDF File: 6

Keywords: electronic Word-of-Mouth

JEL Classification: C12, C51, D12, D71, D50, A13, C13

working papers series