Investigating source differences of online reviews in an emerging market

Company-owned and third-party review websites create a platform for consumers to share their experiences with brands, products and services. This study proposes and validates that these websites have varied effect on consumers perception of the brand image, brand attitude and purchase intention. The study was conducted in India with mobile phone buyers who have searched online review websites before making their decisions. Attribution theory was employed and SEM was used for analysis of 364 survey responses. The results indicated a mediating effect of brand image and brand attitude on the relationship between eWOM and purchase intention for both types of review websites. While the results indicated a significant effect of online reviews on brand attitude for third-party owned reviews, the effect was not significant for the company-owned reviews. The study encourages the companies to develop strategies and build trust among the consumers on the company owned review website.