Consumers’ Cognitive Process of Discounting Negative e-WOM for Technological Luxury Products

Abstract

Although there are plethora of research on negative e-WOM, yet little is known why consumers purchase luxury brands despite being aware of negative e-WOM regarding the respective brand. This study aims to explore the factors influencing consumers’ cognitive process of discounting negative e-WOM while buying trendy technological luxury items. Data were collected from 260 student respondents through a self-administered survey. The findings reveal that consumers assess the unfavorable e-WOM regarding a tech product based on the source credibility (i.e. who writes the review?) and the content credibility (i.e. what is written?). These are the two key factors that influence consumers’ perception of attributing the unfavorable e-WOM with the luxury technological product. Such attribution of the unfavorable e-WOM was found to negatively influence consumers’ tendency to discount the same, which eventually influence consumers’ purchase intention positively. The implications of the findings are discussed.