IS

Zhang, Z. John

Topic Weight Topic Terms
0.338 consumer consumers model optimal welfare price market pricing equilibrium surplus different higher results strategy quality
0.201 reviews product online review products wom consumers consumer ratings sales word-of-mouth impact reviewers word using
0.155 product products quality used characteristics examines role provide goods customization provides offer core sell key
0.126 procurement firms strategy marketing unified customers needs products strategies availability informedness proprietary purchase resonance policies

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Hitt, Lorin M. 1 Li, Xinxin 1
game-theoretic model 1 installed customer base 1 online product reviews 1 price competition 1
repeat purchase products 1 review informativeness 1

Articles (1)

Product Reviews and Competition in Markets for Repeat Purchase Products. (Journal of Management Information Systems, 2011)
Authors: Abstract:
    This paper examines how information provided by online reviews influences firms’ pricing strategy for repeat purchase products. It is commonly understood that online reviews can reduce consumer uncertainty about product characteristics and, therefore, have the potential to increase product demand and firm profits. However, when considering repeat purchase products, online reviews have an additional effect in that they can alter consumers’ propensity to switch among products, which can intensify price competition and lead to lower profits. The strength of these potentially offsetting effects depends on the informativeness of consumer reviews, which is a function of both objective review accuracy and the ability of consumers to obtain information from reviews when their idiosyncratic preferences over product characteristics might differ from the preferences of reviewers. The interplay of these competing effects results in an S‑shaped relationship between the quality of reviews and firm profits. There exists an optimal level of consumer informedness from the firms’ perspective, and competing firms may have incentives to facilitate consumer reviews in some markets but not in others. Given firms’ strategic pricing, consumers may also be worse off as review informativeness increases.