Does educating customers create positive word of mouth?
File(s)
Published version
Author(s)
Sun, Xiaochi
Foscht, Thomas
Eisingerich, Andreas B
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
This research theorizes and empirically examines whether and how educating customers—a brand's efforts to enhance customers' product-related knowledge—affects customer word of mouth (WOM). In two lab experiments across service and retailing contexts, we find that educating customers enhances customers' positive WOM for a brand. Customer satisfaction and perceived expertise mediate this effect. Critically, the positive impact on WOM is stronger for customers who have less prior knowledge regarding the educational topic and are more amenable to knowledge sharing. The current findings add to the literature on customer education and WOM and offer managerial insights for improving brands' WOM campaigns.
Date Issued
2021-09
Date Acceptance
2021-06-04
Citation
Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 2021, 62, pp.1-9
ISSN
0969-6989
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Start Page
1
End Page
9
Journal / Book Title
Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services
Volume
62
Copyright Statement
© 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
License URL
Identifier
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0969698921002046?via%3Dihub
Subjects
Marketing
1503 Business and Management
1505 Marketing
1506 Tourism
Publication Status
Published
Article Number
102638
Date Publish Online
2021-06-23