Integrating Experience, Advertising, and Electronic Word of Mouth

Abstract This study examines the influence of previous related experience, online advertising, and comments from discussion groups (both positive and negative in tone) on Internet commerce judgments. When past personal experience is favorable, an ad alone is sufficient to produce a favorable brand evaluation. When personal experience is unfavorable, electronic word of mouth influences brand attitude but neither advertising nor word of mouth has any impact on purchase intentions. Finally, it appears that when personal experience is not available, there is a positivity bias toward electronic word-of-mouth communications. Exclusively positive word-of-mouth postings combined with advertising stand out distinctly from advertising combined with either uniformly negative or mixed (positive and negative) word of mouth or advertising alone. Thus, in the complex realm of Internet commerce, significant effects have been found that highlight the importance of electronic word-of-mouth communications. KEYWORDS: electronic word of mouthinternet customer behaviornegativity biasonline advertisingonline decision makingpositivity biasView correction statement:Corrigendum Notes Note. Mean, (standard deviation) based on 7-point semantic differential scale items (−3 to +3) with constructs averaged from items as indicated. Higher values indicate greater claim strength, credibility, belief strength, confidence, behavioral intent, and more favorable attitude. Means in the same row not sharing a superscript (a, b, and c) differ at p < .05 in Duncan's multiple range test. Note. Mean, (standard deviation) based on 7-point semantic differential scale items (−3 to +3) with constructs averaged from items as indicated. Higher values indicate greater claim strength, credibility, belief strength, confidence, behavioral intent, and more favorable attitude. Means in the same row not sharing a superscript (a, b, and c) differ at p < .05 in Duncan's multiple range test.