Influence of Online Consumer Reviews on Brand Choice

Social interaction encourages consumers to share information in the digital age. Many consumers use online reviews of products and services to support their brand choice. The concept of reference group explains how peers can influence consumer purchase decisions. Peers can exert influence on consumers in the forms of informational, utilitarian and value-expressive influences. This proposed study aims at examining how these three forms of reference group influence would affect consumers in using online consumer reviews when making a brand choice decision. It also explores the role of brand trust on the brand choice. This paper serves the purpose of providing a conceptual framework for developing further research