Helpfulness of user-generated reviews as a function of review sentiment, product type and information quality

Helpfulness of user-generated reviews has not been studied adequately in terms of the interplay between review sentiment (favorable, unfavorable and mixed) and product type (search and experience). Moreover, the ways in which information quality relates to review helpfulness remain largely unknown. Hence, this paper seeks to answer the following two research questions: (1) How does the helpfulness of user-generated reviews vary as a function of review sentiment and product type? (2) How does information quality relate to the helpfulness of user-generated reviews across review sentiment and product type? Data included 2190 reviews drawn from Amazon for three search products digital cameras, cell phones, and laser printers as well as three experience products books, skin care, and music albums. Review sentiment was ascertained based on star ratings. Investigation of the research questions relied on the statistical procedures of analysis of variance, and multiple regression. Review helpfulness was found to vary across review sentiment independent of product type. Besides, the relationship between information quality and review helpfulness was found to vary as a function of review sentiment as well as product type. The paper concludes with a number of implications for research and practice. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.