Ivy L.B. Liu

Do actions speak louder than voices? The signaling role of social information cues in influencing consumer purchase decisions

The rise of social media has facilitated consumer social interactions. Many product-focused online social platforms have included design features that can convey more information about product quality as well as the credibility of the members of the social community. Drawing on information signaling theory, we empirically examine how the two social information cues frequently found on online social communities, action-based social information (i.e., peer consumer purchase) and opinion-based social information (i.e., peer consumer review), influence consumer purchase decisions. We also explore the moderating role of consumer characteristics, consumer engagement and consumer expertise. Analyzing panel data (n=39,897) collected from a popular online beauty community, we found that consumer purchase decisions are indeed influenced by the two social information cues and that action-based social information is more influential than opinion-based social information. Furthermore, our results show that both consumer engagement and consumer expertise play an important moderating role in consumer purchase decisions, albeit in opposite direction: Whereas consumer engagement exerts a positive moderating effect, consumer expertise is found to have a negative moderating effect. This study contributes to existing literature by providing an evaluation on the signaling role of online social community features in consumer purchase decisions. The results offer important and interesting insights to IS research and practice.

The Impact of Observational Learning and Electronic Word of Mouth on Consumer Purchase Decisions: The Moderating Role of Consumer Expertise and Consumer Involvement

The social media revolution has created a dynamic shift in the digital marketing landscape. The voice of influence is moving from traditional marketers towards consumers through online social interactions. In this study, we focus on two types of online social interactions, namely, electronic word of mouth (eWOM) and observational learning (OL), and explore how they influence consumer purchase decisions. We also examine how receiver characteristics, consumer expertise and consumer involvement, moderate consumer purchase decision process. Analyzing panel data collected from a popular online beauty forum, we found that consumer purchase decisions are influenced by their online social interactions with others and that action-based OL information is more influential than opinion-based eWOM. Further, our results show that both consumer expertise and consumer involvement play an important moderating role, albeit in opposite direction: Whereas consumer expertise exerts a negative moderating effect, consumer involvement is found to have a positive moderating effect. The study makes important contributions to research and practice.

User satisfaction with microblogging: Information dissemination versus social networking

Microblogging is growing in popularity and significance. Although many researchers have attempted to explain why and how people use this new medium, previous studies have produced relatively inconclusive results. For instance, in most of these studies, microblogging has been considered a social networking activity; however, quantitative analyses of microblogging usage have shown that people use microblogging as an information‐broadcasting platform. In this study, we identified the factors that drive microblogging and which of them lead to user satisfaction. We developed a theoretical framework and then empirically validated the factors and the emergent mechanisms (value evaluation processes). We empirically tested our research model using a sample of 230 microbloggers, and the results showed that content and technology gratifications are the two key factors that drive user satisfaction with microblogging. That is, it is the value of information dissemination rather than social networking that makes people feel satisfied with the use of microblogging. We believe that this study will generate interest among researchers in social media. The results also provide platform administrators with insights into how people use microblogging and why they are satisfied with the technology.

How online social interactions influence customer information contribution behavior in online social shopping communities: A social learning theory perspective

Online social shopping communities are transforming the way customers communicate and exchange product information with others. To date, the issue of customer participation in online social shopping communities has become an important but underexplored research area in the academic literature. In this study, we examined how online social interactions affect customer information contribution behavior. We also explored the moderating role of customer reputation in the relationship between observational learning and reinforcement learning as well as customer information contribution behavior. Analyses of panel data from 6,121 customers in an online social fashion platform revealed that they are significant factors affecting customer information contribution behavior and that reinforcement learning exhibits a stronger effect than observational learning. The results also showed that customer reputation has a significant negative moderating effect on the relationship between observational learning and customer information contribution behavior. This study not only enriched our theoretical understanding of information contribution behavior but also provided guidelines for online social shopping community administrators to better design their community features.

Customer Knowledge Contribution Behavior in Social Shopping Communities

Social shopping communities, a special form of social media, have offered fertile ground for customers to communicate their opinions and exchange product information. Although social shopping communities have the potential to transform the way online customers acquire knowledge in everyday life, research in information systems has paid little attention to this emerging type of social media. Thus, the goal of this paper is to enhance our understanding of user behavior in this new form of community. We propose and empirically test an integrative theoretical model of customer knowledge contribution based on social capital theory. By analyzing panel data collected over two weeks from 2,251 customers in a social shopping community, we found that reputation, reciprocity, network centrality, as well as customer expertise have significant impact on customer knowledge contribution. These results contribute significantly to the literature and provide important implications for future research and practice.

An Empirical Investigation on the Impact of Crowd Participation on the Degree of Project Success: The Perspective of Crowd Capital

Fundraisers expect to raise as much funds as possible even after they have reached initial threshold of funding goal. This study focuses on the degree of project success defined as the total amount of funds a project can obtain after it is already successful (reached the initial threshold of funding goal). Drawing upon the theory of crowd capital, this study aims to explore the effect of the crowds—represented as crowd participation—on the degree of project success. Three types of crowd participation are identified, namely funds pledge, popularity creation, and on-site communication. We postulate that funds pledge will have an inverse U-shaped relationship with the degree of project success; while the other two factors will positively influence the degree of project success. Our empirical data from a reward-based crowdfunding platform supported our predictions for funds pledge and on-site communication. Future research and implications are discussed.