What Drives Consumers to Express without Prior Consumption Experience? The Role of Identity Signals on Consumers' Word-of-Mouth Transmission

Abstract

Word-of-mouth (WOM) communication is one of the most powerful forces in consumer decision. Extant previous researches have examined the motivations and effects of WOM and found that it is common for consumers to use WOM as a source of self-signaling

individuals strategically choose what to talk. However, few prior researches distinguish WOM of their own experience from that of others. This research proposes that usage of identity-signals on product message frame can exert positive influence on potential consumers who have not yet purchased or consumed the firms product or service. Across two experiments, this research shows that the fundamental psychological motive to manage ones impression can lead consumers to transmit WOM given identity-signals in the product message. Experiments 1 and 2 demonstrate that the tendency to transmit WOM is likely to increase when individuals with no prior consumption experience on a product is framed with identity-relevant message. Experiment 2 reveals that consumers with no prior consumption experience had greater impression management motive, thereby increasing their intent of WOM transmission. This research concludes that given the identity- relevant message on the same product domain, individuals are more likely to transmit WOM as they strategically manage impression to others about the product with which they have no purchase or consumption experience.