The Effect of Information Consistency and Information Aggregation on eWOM Readers' Perception of Information Overload

This study examines the effects of information consistency and information aggregation on eWOM readers’ perception of information overload; we also examine the influence of information overload on eWOM readers’ perception of information usefulness. An online experiment using a stimulated online consumers’ review forum, which manipulated the two factors-information consistency (high and low) and information aggregation (yes and no), was conducted to test our hypotheses. The results indicate 1) eWOM readers perceive lower information overload when the review group comprises consistent information; 2) eWOM readers perceive lower information overload with the presence of information aggregation tool; 3) information consistency and information aggregation tool have an interactive effect on eWOM readers’ perception of information overload, and finally, 4) eWOM readers’ perception of information overload will negatively affect their perception of information usefulness. The theoretical and practical implications for this study are also introduced.