Too much of a good thing? High volumes of positive WOM can undermine adopters of new technology products

Marketing Letters, 0 [10.1007/s11002-024-09734-6]

16 Pages Posted: 25 Jun 2024

See all articles by David L. Alexander

David L. Alexander

University of St. Thomas

Sarah Moore

University of Alberta - Department of Marketing, Business Economics & Law

Date Written: May 26, 2024

Abstract

We explore how first-time adopters of complex new technology products are influenced by the volume of positive WOM that they receive prior to adoption. Such positive WOM can flow through to alter adopter's goals during initial product use, with consequences for their usage experiences and strategies. Two longitudinal surveys and an experiment reveal a potential downside of positive WOM. Specifically, receiving a greater volume of positive WOM about a new technology product can establish normative standards for adopter's performance during product use. This leads adopters to feel pressure to meet those standards, prompting avoidance-oriented performance goals for initial use of their new product. Together, these processes undermine adopter's experiences with their new product, as well as their strategies for using it. Our findings offer insights for marketers and researchers by identifying and explaining an ironic post-adoption effect of PWOM. 

Keywords: Word-of-mouth, New products, Product adoption, Achievement goals, Performance-avoidance goals, Social pressure

Suggested Citation

Alexander, David L. and Moore, Sarah, Too much of a good thing? High volumes of positive WOM can undermine adopters of new technology products (May 26, 2024). Marketing Letters, 0 [10.1007/s11002-024-09734-6], Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=4868121 or http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11002-024-09734-6

David L. Alexander (Contact Author)

University of St. Thomas ( email )

1000 LaSalle Ave
Mail: TMH443
Minneapolis, MN 55403
United States
651-962-4639 (Phone)
651-962-4710 (Fax)

Sarah Moore

University of Alberta - Department of Marketing, Business Economics & Law ( email )

Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2R6
Canada

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