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From the Archives: WOM's Role in Consumer Decision-Making

Who do consumers tap for word of mouth advice when they have decision-making worries? According to Klaus Schoefer's 1998 dissertation (for his M.A. in Corporate Strategy and Governance from the University of Nottingham Business School) "Word of Mouth: Influences on the Choice of Recommendation Sources," when consumers are faced with a difficult decision they turn first to their strong-tie sources (family and friends). This tendency holds true even when there are other weak-tie but high-knowledge sources available.

Research conclusions:

* Consumers who perceive greater difficulty in the decision task are most likely to seek advice from strong-tie sources.
* Weak-tie sources that involve personal contact (i.e. a travel agent) are qualitatively different from weak-tie sources that don't (i.e. a travel website).
* Consumers concerned with risk avoidance are more willing to rely on experts with whom they have personal contact.

Learn more

Posted by WOMMA Editor on September 28, 2006 10:54 AM

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