A New Method to Investigate the Presence of the Echo Chamber Effect on Consumer Behavior

ABSTRACT While existing studies primarily explore the echo chamber effect in bipolar discourse, this study demonstrates that echo chambers also influence consumer behavior, where like‐minded consumers significantly shape their peers' preferences. We propose a comprehensive model that identifies and analyzes echo chambers through consumers review text and network structures. Key findings from two real‐world datasets reveal that like‐minded consumers exhibit greater alignment in review content, stronger network cohesion, and more consistent behavioral patterns over time compared to non‐like‐minded consumers. These findings highlight the short‐term influence of peers and the reinforcement of opinion trajectories, providing valuable insights into consumer behavior and marketing strategies. Furthermore, our results validate existing theories in consumer behavior, including social influence, confirmation bias, and online brand communities.