More than Herding : Information Disclosure Effect of Multi-Dimensional Expert Reviews on Subsequent Consumer Ratings

Expert reviews in a multi-dimensional rating system are increasingly popular on online review platforms. However, extant studies have primarily examined expert reviews in a single-dimensional rating system. Using a quasi-experiment opportunity provided by an automobile review platform, we examine how multi-dimensional expert reviews affect subsequent consumer ratings. We start by theorizing two possible effects of multi-dimensional expert reviews: the information disclosure effect (by mitigating product uncertainty before purchase) and the herding effect (by imitating experts’ neutral sentiment after purchase). We find consumers write reviews with higher overall and dimensional ratings after the posting of multi-dimensional expert reviews, implying the existence of an information disclosure pathway. Drawing upon the information diagnosticity theory, we further confirm that the informational value of multi-dimensional expert reviews is moderated by information complementarity (product characteristics, previous consumer ratings), information conflict (rating conflict among previous consumers, rating conflict between experts and consumers), and information channels (mobile vs. PC). Our study serves as a first step in investigating the effect of multi-dimensional expert reviews on subsequent consumer ratings and disentangles the underlying mechanisms behind this effect. Our findings provide valuable insights into both platforms and firms toward better platform design and customer engagement