Suspicion of online product reviews as fake: Cues and consequences

Consumers rely on online reviews because they deem information from a third party to be more credible than promotional communications. Unfortunately, not all online reviews are legitimate. It is therefore critical for marketers to gain a better understanding of how fake online reviews affect consumer purchasing behavior and what cues consumers use in evaluating review veracity. The current research examines the effect of suspicious reviews on reviewer's opinion valuation, consumer attitudes toward the brand and website, and purchasing. Then it identifies the specific cues that consumers use to evaluate whether a review is fake or credible.