Purpose

Despite skepticism, consumers rely on online reviews for their purchase decisions. However, academics mostly argue that skepticism has an inverse relationship with consumer decision-making. This study aims to investigate the relationship among skepticism, reliance and consumer purchase decisions in an online review context. It also investigates the moderating role of review self-efficacy and regulatory focus in the relationship between skepticism and reliance on online reviews.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey with a nationally representative sample and two experimental studies are conducted.

Findings

Skepticism negatively affects consumers’ reliance on online reviews and reliance on online reviews mediates the relationship between skepticism and review-based purchase decisions. High review self-efficacy participants tend to rely more on online reviews than low review self-efficacy participants. Promotion-focused people rely more on online reviews than prevention-focused people, despite similar levels of skepticism.

Research limitations/implications

The findings contribute to the skepticism, self-efficacy and regulatory focus literature. The general framework of the relationship among skepticism, reliance and purchase decision is also applicable in an online review context.

Originality/value

The results provide evidence of a stronger reliance on online reviews of high review self-efficacy and promotion-oriented consumers compared to low review self-efficacy and prevention-oriented consumers.

中文翻译：

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消费者对在线评论及其决策过程的怀疑：评论自我效能和监管重点的作用

目的

尽管持怀疑态度，但消费者仍依赖在线评论来做出购买决定。然而，学者们大多认为怀疑主义与消费者决策呈反比关系。本研究旨在调查在线评论环境中怀疑、依赖和消费者购买决策之间的关系。它还调查了评论自我效能和监管重点在怀疑和依赖在线评论之间的关系中的调节作用。

设计/方法/方法

进行了一项具有全国代表性样本的调查和两项实验研究。

发现

怀疑对消费者对在线评论的依赖产生负面影响，对在线评论的依赖在怀疑与基于评论的购买决策之间起到中介作用。高评论自我效能的参与者往往比低自我效能的参与者更依赖在线评论。尽管怀疑程度相似，但专注于推广的人比专注于预防的人更依赖在线评论。

研究限制/影响

这些发现有助于产生怀疑、自我效能和监管重点文献。怀疑、依赖和购买决策之间关系的一般框架也适用于在线评论环境。

原创性/价值

结果证明，与低评论自我效能和预防导向的消费者相比，高评论自我效能和以促销为导向的消费者更依赖在线评论。