What does the brand say? Effects of brand feedback to negative eWOM on brand trust and purchase intentions

This study examined the effects of brand feedback to negative electronic word of mouth (eWOM) on consumers’ brand trust and purchase intentions, and examined the moderating effect of problem attribution described in the negative eWOM message. Results from a 2 (Brand Feedback: Present/Absent) × 2 (Causal Attribution: Brand/Reviewer) × 2 (Products: Laptop/TV) between-subjects online experiment suggest that brand feedback had a simultaneous positive and negative effect on purchase intentions, whereby brand trust mediated the positive effect. Attribution of the product's problem did not significantly change this effect. Findings help to clarify the literature by describing mechanisms through which brand feedback occurs to influence brand outcomes.