Gulping the Poison: How Webcare Attributes Reduce Damages to Brands Caused by Negative Reviews

Ghosh, Tathagata and Amar, Raju G (2018) Gulping the Poison: How Webcare Attributes Reduce Damages to Brands Caused by Negative Reviews. Journal of Internet Commerce, 17 (3). pp. 1-39.

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Abstract

Negative reviews written by unsatisfied consumers can significantly erode the image of a brand. Therefore, marketers regularly respond to these reviews through written messages posted on online channels: a practice known as webcare. The present article seeks to explore whether selected webcare attributes, such as strength, sidedness, and ownership, have any effects on consumers’ forgiveness of the service failures caused by transgressing firms. Furthermore, the effects of consumer forgiveness on satisfaction with webcare, brand attitudes, and purchase intentions are also investigated. The article examines these relationships in the context of a fine dining restaurant (Study 1) and a hotel (Study 2). The results reveal that webcare attributes play a salient role in achieving consumer forgiveness. Furthermore, the studies also reveal that consumer forgiveness leads to satisfaction with webcare and improved brand attitudes and purchase intentions.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Consumer forgiveness; negative reviews; webcare; webcare attribute; webcare ownership; webcare sidedness; webcare strength
Subjects:	Management Information Systems
Divisions:	Operations and Information Science
Depositing User:	Mr. Muralidhara D
Date Deposited:	01 Dec 2018 09:33
Last Modified:	01 Dec 2018 09:33
URI:	http://tapmi.informaticsglobal.com/id/eprint/520

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