The Effect of E-WOM Presentation Order on Consumer Attitude: The Moderating Role of E-WOM Sources

Internet, as a new channel of WOM, enables consumers to get multiply WOM messages. However, there is a very real consumer situation that consumers may receive opposite messages (positive-negative) from the same sources. According to tie strength, this paper divides e-WOM sources into strong tie sources and weak tie sources, examining how e-WOM sources moderate the influence of e-WOM presentation order on consumer attitude. The results of empirical study show that when opposite e-WOM messages from strong ties, consumers will be more influenced by the later e-WOM message. Hence, consumer attitude will be more positive in negative-positive e-WOM order than positive-negative order. However, when consumers receive opposite e-WOM messages from weak ties, consumer attitude will be more influenced by negative e-WOM instead of e-WOM presentation order. That is, no matter e-WOM presentation order maybe, it will lead to negative attitude of consumers.