A Study on Fashion Brand Online Impression Formation and its WOM Effect According to Online Review Types of Supporters

Abstract

Many brands are attempting to use consumers as a part of their marketing strategies, due to the fashion industry's sensitive response to consumers' reaction. In addition, due to the popularity of e-WOM(electronic Word-Of-Mouth), fashion brands are highly sensitive to their supporters' online reviews. Amid this background, the main objectives of this study are as follows: 1) to analyze the effect of online reviews' attributes and valences on forming an impression about a fashion brand; 2) to examine the online re-WOM(word-of-mouth) effect of online reviews by fashion brand supporters on brand attitude; and 3) to measure the moderating effect of fashion involvement in online re-WOM intention. In order to verify the research model and to test the proposed hypotheses, a 2 (utilitarian vs. hedonic review attributes) by 2 (positive vs. negative review valences) model is constructed and gathers 215 respondents. The results demonstrate that consumers form the highest reliable impression based on utilitarian and negative online reviews. However, there is no relationship between the types of online reviews and the formation of a favorable impression. Findings also reveal that the impression formed by online reviews has a positive effect on re-WOM intention, contributing to brand attitude. In addition, the hypothesis about the moderating effect produced by fashion involvement on re-WOM is supported. In conclusion, these results suggest that online reviews by fashion brand supporters have a powerful effect on forming a consumer's impression towards a fashion brand, affecting re-WOM intention and brand attitude.