When are emotional online product reviews persuasive? Exploring the effects of reviewer status and valence in consumer purchase decisions

This study investigates how features of online product reviews affect persuasive outcomes. In particular, we focus on how emotional reviews can exert significant influence on how people process and act upon a review. We conducted a 2 x 2 x 2 between-subjects online experiment (N = 368) to explore the effects of (a) review emotionality (high vs. low), (b) valence (positive vs. negative), and (c) system-generated status cues as signaled by reviewer badges (present vs. absent) on perceived argument strength and purchase intention. Results revealed that for the positive reviews, but not for the negative reviews, the effect of review emotionality on purchase intention via perceived argument strength was significant only when reviewer badges were present. Specifically, positive emotional reviews with reviewer badges present increased purchase intention through increases in perceived argument strength. These findings highlight the unique role of online message characteristics in consumer decision making.