The effect of eWOM components on brand attitude and purchase intention : A cross country study between Germany and Sweden

In today ́s technical environment people are surrounded by information. The revolution of the Internet provides consumers with different channels where product information can be found and consumed. But what makes consumers pick specific products online? Firms need to be aware of what influences consumers to read a specific information and to what end this information alter their opinion towards the product and the brand. eWOM has been recognized as an important marketing communication tool and needs to be included in the firms marketing mix. Thus, this study took a closer look at five, previously established components of eWOM and investigated their effect on brand attitude and purchase intention. To gain a deeper understanding of eWOM components ́ influence on brand perception, decision-making process and eWOM management, a qualitative research approach was taken. A single case study was conducted towards two different samples from two cultures (i.e. Germany and Sweden) to gather data to explore the topic further. The findings show that the five selected components cannot be seen uniquely but are connected to each other and depend on factors surrounding the component such as source trustworthiness. Furthermore, findings suggest that the opinion towards and effect of components depend on the recipient ́s culture. However, further research is needed to examine this phenomenon from different perspectives