Do sensory reviews make more sense? The mediation of objective perception in online review helpfulness

Purpose Do consumers rate reviews describing other consumers' sensory experience of a product (touch, smell, sight, hear and taste) as helpful or do they more practical properties (product performance characteristics/features) helpful? What is the effect review helpfulness on purchase intention? Furthermore, why perceive non-sensory differently? This study answers these questions. Design/methodology/approach The authors analyze 447,792 Amazon perform topic modeling analysis to extract main topics that express in their reviews. Then, were used regressors predict number who found helpful. Finally, lab experiment was conducted replicate results controlled environment test serial mediation effect. Findings Contrary overwhelming evidence supporting positive effects elicitation marketing, this shows are less likely be than Moreover, key reason effective decrease objective perception review, then decreases level helpfulness, which intention. Originality/value contributes interactive marketing field by investigating customer behavior interactivity online shopping sites literature identifying boundary condition, authors’ data suggest elicitations might not processed positively when directly experienced, but instead communicated another consumer. indicates how companies can encourage share