The effect of product distance on the eWOM in recommendation network

The online product recommendation networks (PRNs), connecting similar products with hyperlinks, have been widely implemented in user-generated content websites and ecommerce systems. With the PRNs as the virtual shelves, this paper explores the impact of the distance between products on the formation of product electronic Word-of-Mouth (eWOM). Employing an empirical book recommendation network of Amazon, the study one explores the effect of a focal product’s neighborhood (nearby others) on its eWOM, and study two explores the eWOM similarity between product pairs that are at one, two and three clicks away from each other. The results reveal the significant role played by the product distance on the association of their eWOM. On one hand, a focal product’s eWOM is largely influenced by that of its neighborhood. On the other hand, the good connectivity between two products, which is defined as the number of paths connecting them, is closely associated with the eWOM similarity between them. The findings suggest that the products should be considered as interactive collectives rather than separated individuals particularly in the eWOM studies.