ELM+Studies

__**Consumer Skepticism and Online Reviews: An Elaboration Likelihood Model Perspective**__

When it comes to online reviews, people either believe or not believe the reviews. The article by Sher and Lee provides a study that tested the effects of consumer skepticism on online consumers. A total of 278 undergraduates were used in the study each expressing their attitudes about a product. The purpose of the study was to look at the effects of online reviews, especially positive ones, on online consumers using skepticism as a moderator.

They found two findings as a result of the study. First, consumers that were highly skeptical based their attitudes on intrinsic beliefs instead of situational factors. Basically, there were biased against certain information and uninterested in the message quality. On the other side, consumers with low skepticism had a tendency toward the peripheral route of the ELM theory. They found that these consumers were persuaded by the amount of reviews.

People who had high skepticism with shopping online did not take the central route as predicted by the ELM theory. As mentioned before, these people based their decisions on intrinsic beliefs. They had a tendency to not believe certain categories of product information without the consideration of source credibility, argument quality or number or arguments. As Sher and Lee stated, these people with high skepticism may be impossible to persuade through argument quality. According to Sher and Lee, this finding contributes to an important personality factor in the ELM: “Marketers and software developers should identify the profiles of skeptical consumers carefully in order to communicate marketing messages more efficiently.”

Low skeptics used the peripheral route. They were persuaded by the amount of online reviews because more reviews were perceived as an indicator of a product’s popularity. Therefore, according to Lee and Sher, marketers and software developers should articulate a more user-friendly interface that simplifies the process of posting reviews. By knowing the level of skepticism among consumers, marketers can design promotional materials and review formats that will influence online shoppers effectively.

Sher, P., & Sheng-Hsien, L. (2009). CONSUMER SKEPTICISM AND ONLINE REVIEWS: AN ELABORATION LIKELIHOOD MODEL PERSPECTIVE. //Social Behavior & Personality: An International Journal//, //37//(1), 137-143. Retrieved from Communication & Mass Media Complete database: []
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