Question.2038 - Most of you have very well indicated why and how consumers are using user-generated content from a site like Yelp, Google Review, or TripAdvisor. I was really impressed by your posts. In summary, the main reasons are: (1) to easily find relevant information (i.e., you can find the information ONLY about the specific restaurant or restaurants in a specific area); (2) to get neutral evaluations (i.e., consumers may believe the company-generated contents tend to be exaggerated); (3) to stay connected (i.e., you can indirectly interact with other consumers of the restaurant through their reviews and ratings); and (4) to get information without any time limits (i.e., you can find and get information when you need, such as at night or during your trip). As a marketer in today’s hospitality and tourism industry, we MUST work with mega review sites as well as keep our eyes on user-generated contents. As we’ve learned, we cannot succeed in this industry without this digital marketing tool that influences consumers’ decision-making process. After reading all your posts, I have a new question: “Why are consumers influenced by online reviews when making a purchase decision? Is this because they trust the mega review sites? OR is this because they trust online content reviews generated by other consumers (i.e., 3rd party)?” Some students address that they use the websites because they like the websites. However, other students indicate that they use the websites because they believe other consumers’ reviews and ratings. We need to be a little more specific here. If consumers trust the mega review sites, we need to work with a very reputational mega review site. OR if consumers trust the user-generated content, we need to work with specialists in managing online reviews. As you know, we have limited resources for digital marketing strategies, so we need to allocate marketing budgets to each one efficiently and effectively. For example, there is an article on the role of online reviews on trust formation among travelers. The study argues that consumers should perceive online reviews as authentic (some of your classmates indicate the importance of fake reviews or artificial information on the mega review sites). Then, consumers trust the mega review site (based on the perceived authentic reviews) and its recommendation, which in turn lead them to purchase hospitality and tourism products. Please take a look at the posted article when you have time to answer the above question ("Optional Article for Extra Credit in Module 2"). It may be challenging for you to understand everything regarding the methods and empirical results. But the introduction, literature review, and discussion parts must help you to understand this paper. After reading the article, please feel free to post your opinion about the above question. Please feel free to participate in this optional discussion to get up to 3 extra points (more than 200 words and including at least one credible reference to support your opinion; your initial post will be graded, and a response to a peer's post is optional) aswell as to expand your knowledge about this topic with your classmates (by
Answer Below:
The xxxxxxxxx trust xxx online xxxxxxx reviews xxxxxx by xxxxx authentic xxxxxxxxxx on xxx mega xxxxxx sites xx they xxx not xxxx to xxxxx the xxxxxxxxxxx personally xxx neither xx there xxx physical xxxxxxxx present xx review xxx travel xxxxxxxxxxxx they xxxx to xxxxxx There xxx a xxx of xxxxxxxxxxx attached xxxx unknown xxxxxx that xxx consumers xxxx never xxxxxxx earlier xx lack xxx reference xxxx other xxxxxxxxxx They xxxxxxxx the xxxxxxx of xxxxx mega xxxxxx sites xxxxxxxxx as xxxx are xxxxxx by xxxxx authentic xxxxxxxxxx who xxxx personally xxxxxxx these xxxxxx and xxxxx their xxxxxxx and xxxxxxxxxxx on xxxxx mega xxxxxx sites xxxxxxxxxxxxxx nbsp xxx review xxxxx present xxx consumers xxxx real xxxxxxxxx from xxxxx traveller xxx have xxxxxxxx these xxxxxxx places xxxx Thus xxx real xxxxxxxxxxx of xxx virtual xxxxx on xxx review xxxxx makes xxx consumers xx develop xxxxx for xxxxx sites xxx their xxxxxxx The xxxxxxxxxxxxx of xxx consumers xx reduced xxxxxxxxxxx by xxxxx through xxx experiences xxx review xx other xxxxxxxxxx and xxxx can xxxx see xxx pictures xxx videos xxxxxx by xxxxx travellers xx the xxxx and xxxx their xxx opinion xx decisions xxxxx the xxxxxx The xxxxxxx help xxx consumers xx take xxx proper xxxxxxxx decision xx reducing xxx anxiety xxxx have xxxxx the xxxxxxxxxxx they xxxx to xxxxx nbsp xxx oacute x Camarero xxx Garrido xxxx ReferencesAnt xxxxxx n x C xxxxxxxx and x J xxxxxxx ldquo xxxx to xx after xxxxxxxx a xxxxxx From xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Evaluation xx Intensification xxx Online xxxxxxx Generation xxxxx Journal xx Travel xxxxxxxx ndash xxxxxxxxxxxxxx N xxxxx Time xxxxxxxxx Authenticity xxx Consumer xxxxxxxx of xxx Web xxxxx Business xxxxxxx ndash xxxxMore Articles From Marketing