The Influence of UGC on Consumers’ Information Process on Service Failure
2012 ◽
Vol 4
(4)
◽
pp. 32-47
Keyword(s):
This study explores the influence of user-generated content (UGC) on consumers’ post-purchase information process when a service failure occurs. Fairness theory, which regards counterfactual thinking (CFT) and judgments of blame as two key constructs in processing negative experiences, is applied in this study. In a scenario-based experimental study, the presence of UGC (positive, negative, or not presented), and the transaction medium (online or offline) were manipulated. This study contributes to current literature on UGC with the aspect of service failure that is rarely discussed. It also adds to the literature on fairness theory, which has primarily focused on the offline contexts. Results are further explored in the article.