The effect of online consumer reviews on attitude and purchase intention : the role of message and source characteristics

The objective of the study is to extend the emerging body and scope of research on consumer’s attitudinal and behavioral responses to online consumer reviews by examining the role of both message content and source characteristics. That is, this study investigates how consumers process online consumer reviews within the context of message and source characteristics, and how these two factors influence consumer’s attitudes toward the review, attitudes toward the product, perceived credibility of the reviewers, and purchase intention. From this perceptive, the study broadens the understanding and importance of message and source factors to the persuasiveness of online consumer reviews.