PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Kineta H. Hung
AU  - Stella Yiyan Li
TI  - The Influence of eWOM on Virtual Consumer Communities: Social Capital, Consumer Learning, and Behavioral Outcomes
AID  - 10.2501/S002184990707050X
DP  - 2007 Dec 01
TA  - Journal of Advertising Research
PG  - 485--495
VI  - 47
IP  - 4
4099  - http://www.journalofadvertisingresearch.com/content/47/4/485.short
4100  - http://www.journalofadvertisingresearch.com/content/47/4/485.full
SO  - J Advert Res2007 Dec 01; 47
AB  - Word of mouth (WOM) is a highly credible form of marketing information. However, because it is difficult to study WOM in the face-to-face context, researchers have limited understanding of its sources of effectiveness or its effects beyond product and brand communications. We analyzed computer-mediated data and conducted face-to-face interviews with beauty product enthusiasts in China to understand electronic WOM (eWOM) in a consumption-interest virtual community. Our findings reveal four categories of responses: (1) sources of social capital, (2) brand choice facilitation, (3) persuasion knowledge development, and (4) consumer reflexivity. We then propose a model and offer a set of postulates to outline future research directions.