Online Opinions for Automobiles: A Dynamic Perspective

Abstract

Online word of mouth (WOM) has become increasingly important in consumer purchasing decisions. It has the potential to be a new sort of marketing communication mix. Scion, for example, held "ride-and-drive" events in which young drivers were encouraged to write messages on social networking sites. The campaign was a massive success. On the other hand, When Chevrolet announced a Web contest to develop advertising for the Chevrolet Tahoe, the campaign quickly spiraled out of hand, resulting in numerous negative messages regarding the vehicle's poor gas mileage. Understanding the mechanism is critical to the success of an online WOM campaign. This mechanism is divided into two decisions: posting decisions and assessment decisions. The latter process—the individual reviewer's rating of her product—is the topic of this study.