Online customer-to-customer interactions, customer–firm affection, firm-loyalty and participation intention

Purpose This study aims to investigate the impact of three types of online customer-to-customer interaction qualities on customers' participation intention through customer–firm affection in online mass service contexts to address the influence of several types of intercustomer interactions. Design/methodology/approach The data were amassed using retrospective experience sampling. The hypothesized relationships were examined utilizing structural equation modeling. Findings The results demonstrate that the perceived quality of the friend-interaction (e.g. non-verbal online interaction with friends), neighboring customer-interaction (e.g. non-verbal online interaction with stranger users) and the audience-interaction (crowding) has a significant impact upon customer participation intention, mediated by customer–firm affection. Research limitations/implications This research was performed in the situation of online mass services (e.g. massively multiplayer online role-playing games). Future studies could extend the findings by conducting further studies across various types of services and by comparing results across different categories of mass services (e.g. hedonic vs utilitarian). Practical implications Online mass service marketers should focus on facilitating all three types of online customer-to-customer interactions (i.e. friend-, neighboring customer-, and audience-interaction). For example, online game developers may need to require users to communicate and collaborate with not only friends but also stranger users to progress and succeed in online multiplayer games. Originality/value The current study differs from prior research by addressing the influences of not only online intercustomer interaction qualities but also customer–firm affection on customer participation intention.