The best and the worst: Word-of-mouth in e-tail websites

ABSTRACT This paper aims to investigate the internal dimensions of Word-of-mouth (WOM) behavior, comparing the best and the worst Brazilian e-tail websites in four dimensions: intensity, positive valence, negative valence and content. The research used for this paper is based on the multidimensional framework of Goyette, Ricard, Bergeron, and Marticotte (2010). It suggests that WOM intensity is higher in the case of the best websites, while the degree of promotion (positive valence) of the best websites is lower than the degree of detraction (negative valence) of the worst websites. This result supports previous findings, showing that negative WOM is passionate and extreme. Yet, elements such as trust, delivery time and post-purchase support, reinforce both positive WOM in the best websites and negative WOM in the worst websites. However, security of transaction and ease of use do not reinforce negative WOM in the worst websites, suggesting a certain degree of commoditization of such factors between the best and the worst websites.

摘要 本文旨在探究口碑（Word-of-mouth, WOM）行为的内在维度，对比巴西表现最优与最差的电商网站在四大维度的差异：口碑强度、正向效价、负向效价及内容。本研究基于Goyette、Ricard、Bergeron与Marticotte（2010）提出的多维度框架展开。研究结果表明，表现最优的网站其口碑强度更高，而最优网站的正向口碑推广程度（正向效价）却低于表现最差网站的负面口碑贬损程度（负向效价）。该结果印证了既往研究结论，即负面口碑往往饱含情绪且极具极端性。诸如信任度、配送时效与售后支持等因素，会同时强化最优网站的正向口碑与最差网站的负向口碑。然而，交易安全性与使用便捷性并不会强化最差网站的负向口碑，这表明此类因素在优劣电商网站之间已呈现出一定程度的商品化特征。