Effets du bouche-à-oreille en ligne sur les décisions d’achat : le cas des avis de consommateurs sur plateforme Internet

Online consumer reviews (OCR) are conceptualized as a specific form of online word-Of-Mouth, gathering both positive and negative information, numerical (ratings) and textual (comments) information, and which are driven by consumers for consumers on Internet plateforms. In this dissertation, we study the impact of OCR on purchase decisions. We consider two kind of information (numerical and textual OCR), two main metrics of OCR (the valence or average rating, and the volume or number of reviews) as well as two levels of analysis (purchase intentions and actual purchase decisions). The results from four empirical studies on both individual and aggregated data show that: (1) OCR may efficiently signal quality and reduce perceived risk for experience goods, (2) OCR volume and valence have a significant influence on purchase decisions, (3) the effects of OCR on purchase decisions may be lower or stronger according to different moderating factors that we take into account. Last, we discuss managerial implications about firms' online marketing strategies.