Date of Award
8-2023
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
Business Administration
Committee Chair/Advisor
Lawrence D.Fredendall
Committee Member
Ahmet Colak
Committee Member
Craig Wallace
Committee Member
Blake Snider
Abstract
This dissertation comprises three interconnected essays investigating the impact of global reviews on Amazon.com and their significance for consumer behavior and decision-making. The first chapter analyzes the interplay between economic policy uncertainty (EPU) and global review sharing, focusing on Nike products available on the platform. The study finds that higher levels of USA EPU negatively affect product review rates, while China EPU positively influences review rates. EPU volatility also impacts the sharing of non-English and English reviews, influencing sales and review-sharing behavior. The research also explores the effect of global reviews on customer decision-making for products at different lifecycle stages, revealing that early-stage products benefit from global reviews, while popular products may be overwhelmed by them. The second chapter investigates the impact of product origin information on product review rates, particularly examining mentions of "made-in USA/China" in customer reviews. The study uncovers that "Made in China" mentions positively influence review rates, while "Made in USA" mentions have no significant impact. Economic uncertainty in both countries leads to decreased review rates and scores. Understanding the relationship between product origin and customer behavior can help businesses optimize marketing strategies and enhance customer satisfaction. The third chapter explores how review language diversity, specifically English and Spanish reviews, influences customer behavior on Amazon.com. The study finds that an increase in Spanish reviews positively affects future review scores and encourages Spanish-speaking customers to contribute reviews. English reviews positively influence the review rate for both English and Spanish-speaking customers. Overall, these essays shed light on the nuanced effects of EPU, product origin information and review language diversity on customer behavior and decision-making on Amazon.com. The findings offer valuable insights for businesses to strategically leverage global reviews, optimize marketing efforts, and cater to diverse language preferences, ultimately enhancing customer experiences and business performance in a globalized marketplace.
Recommended Citation
Ajjuguttu, Maneesh Reddy, "Empirical Studies on Global Product Reviews" (2023). All Dissertations. 3411.
https://tigerprints.clemson.edu/all_dissertations/3411