Online review trust factors. Characteristics and person-specific reputation

Which factors make online reviews trustworthy?

Bachelor Thesis , 2021 , 44 Pages , Grade: 1,0

Communications - Public Relations, Advertising, Marketing, Social Media

This thesis is about the Online review trust factors and the characteristics and person-specific reputation. Especially abou the question, "Which factors make online reviews trustworthy?"

Online reviews are more and more used by consumers trying to make an informed decision whether to buy a product or service. Trust plays a central moderating role in this decision-making process. However, specific factors that lead to the emergence of trust have not been identified and subsumed among scholars.

This thesis aims to fill this gap by addressing empirically proven conceptualizations of trust factors and evaluating them within an online setting and demonstrating these factors by descriptive visual aids. The results show that consumers essentially use review characteristics and person-specific factors to assess trustworthiness. The review length, its writing style, real pictures, and the review’s extremity primarily influence trustworthiness. The number of submissions of a reviewer, certain review patterns, virtual badges, real profile pictures, and real names with contact information secondarily influence trustworthiness. If a review is perceived as untrustworthy, it gets discounted by consumers.

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• 1. Introduction
• 1.1. Problem Statement
• 1.2. Relevance
• 1.3. Motivation and Research Question
• 2. Methodology
• 2.1. Literature Review
• 2.2. Literature Selection Criteria
• 2.3. Literature on Reputation Management and Online Trust
• 3. Online Review Trust Factors
• 3.1. Defining Reputation and Trust
• 3.2. Review Characteristics
• 3.2.1. Review Length
• 3.2.2. Writing Style
• 3.2.3. Pictures
• 3.2.4. Review Extremity
• 3.3. Person-Specific Reputation
• 3.3.1. Number of Submissions
• 3.3.2. Review Patterns
• 3.3.3. Virtual Badges
• 3.3.4. Profile Picture
• 3.3.5. Real Name and Contact Information
• 4. Conclusion
• 4.1. Academic Contributions
• 4.2. Practical Implications
• 4.2.1. Implications for Consumers
• 4.2.2. Implications for Review Portals
• 4.3. Limitations
• 4.4. Future Research

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This thesis aims to identify and evaluate the factors that influence the trustworthiness of online reviews. It seeks to address the lack of comprehensive understanding of how trust is established in an online setting, particularly within the context of product and service reviews. The thesis aims to provide empirical evidence based on established theoretical frameworks and demonstrate these factors visually.

• The role of trust in online purchasing decisions
• Factors influencing the trustworthiness of online reviews
• The impact of online reviews on consumer behavior
• The potential for manipulation and fraud in online reviews
• Practical implications for consumers and review platforms

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

• Chapter 1: This chapter introduces the problem statement by highlighting the importance of trust in online purchases. It discusses the increasing use of online reviews by consumers and the challenges associated with assessing their trustworthiness. The chapter also outlines the relevance and motivation behind the research, leading to the formulation of the research question.
• Chapter 2: This chapter delves into the methodology employed in the thesis. It provides an overview of the literature review process, outlining the selection criteria for relevant studies. Additionally, the chapter discusses the existing literature on reputation management and online trust, laying the foundation for the subsequent analysis of online review trust factors.
• Chapter 3: This chapter explores the core concept of online review trust factors, defining reputation and trust in the online context. It examines various review characteristics that influence trustworthiness, including review length, writing style, use of pictures, and review extremity. The chapter further investigates person-specific reputation factors, such as the number of reviews submitted, review patterns, virtual badges, profile pictures, and the presence of real names and contact information.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

The main focus of this thesis lies on the analysis of online reviews and the factors influencing their trustworthiness. Key concepts include online reputation, decision-making processes, online trust, and the various characteristics of online reviews that contribute to their perceived credibility. The thesis aims to provide insights into the manipulation of online reviews and the implications for both consumers and review platforms.

• College: Vienna University of Economics and Business (Institute for Entrepreneurship & Innovation)
• Grade: 1,0
• Author: Sebastian Hochreiter (Author)
• Publication Year: 2021
• Pages: 44
• Catalog Number: V1147032
• ISBN (PDF): 9783346569769
• ISBN (Book): 9783346569776
• Language: English
• Tags: online review, reputation, trust, consumer behavior, decision making