Antecedents and consequences of perceived helpfulness of extremely positive and exaggerated reviews

Abstract

Consumers often engage in exaggeration when sharing their experiences online. This study focuses on how consumers interpret extremely positive and exaggerated product reviews. Results derived from a survey with 601 consumers evaluating cell phone reviews indicate that internal and external attributions fully mediate the influence of the reader’s shopping related characteristics (online shopping expertise and product involvement) and personality traits (close-mindedness, Machiavellianism, cynicism) on perceptions of the review’s helpfulness. Helpfulness, in turn, enhances consumers’ behavioral and recommendation intentions. The impact of perceived helpfulness on purchase intentions is stronger for brands seen as low-quality compared to those regarded as highquality. Several theoretical and practical implications are discussed.