The online product recommendation networks (PRNs), connecting similar products with hyperlinks, have been widely implemented in user-generated content websites and ecommerce systems. With the PRNs as the virtual shelves, this paper explores the impact of the distance between products on the formation of product electronic Word-of-Mouth (eWOM). Employing an empirical book recommendation network of Amazon, the study one explores the effect of a focal product’s neighborhood (nearby others) on its eWOM, and study two explores the eWOM similarity between product pairs that are at one, two and three clicks away from each other. The results reveal the significant role played by the product distance on the association of their eWOM. On one hand, a focal product’s eWOM is largely influenced by that of its neighborhood. On the other hand, the good connectivity between two products, which is defined as the number of paths connecting them, is closely associated with the eWOM similarity between them. The findings suggest that the products should be considered as interactive collectives rather than separated individuals particularly in the eWOM studies.

通过超链接连接类似产品的在线产品推荐网络（PRN）已在用户生成的内容网站和电子商务系统中得到广泛实施。本文以PRN作为虚拟货架，探讨了产品之间的距离对产品电子口碑（eWOM）形成的影响。一项研究使用亚马逊的经验书推荐网络，研究了重点产品的邻域（附近）对其eWOM的影响，研究二探讨了距离彼此一键，两键和三键的产品对之间的eWOM相似性。其他。结果表明，产品距离在其eWOM关联中发挥了重要作用。一方面，焦点产品的eWOM很大程度上受其邻域的影响。另一方面，两种产品之间的良好连通性（定义为连接它们的路径数）与它们之间的eWOM相似性密切相关。研究结果表明，在eWOM研究中，应将产品视为互动的集合体，而不是单独的个体。