The Rise of Fake Reviews: Toward a Marketing-Oriented Framework for Understanding Fake Reviews

Abstract

Reviews have become an essential part of consumer decision-making. However, the rise in fake reviews can lead consumers astray and provide misleading information to sell more products or harm competing brands. This study systematically analyzes 229 studies on fake reviews using structural topic modeling. The study outlines the antecedents, decisions, and outcomes (ADO) of fake reviews in marketing and summarizes the theories, contexts, and methods (TCM) used by research in this domain. Additionally, the study integrates the sender, message, channel, and receiver (SMCR) communication model with dual-factor theory to propose a comprehensive framework that categorizes marketing factors that contribute to or inhibit the creation and transmission of fake reviews along with their marketing implications. Finally, the study outlines opportunities for further research and provides equivalent recommendations for marketers and marketing researchers to deal with fake reviews.