Cracking the Code of Consumer Decisions

Using the Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-O-R) framework, this paper examines how review valence influences information adoption in e-commerce, highlighting the mediating role of the perceived usefulness of online reviews and the moderating effects of two distinct regulatory focuses. Empirical results from a survey of Chinese consumers reveal that the perceived usefulness of online review mediates the relationship between review valence and information adoption. Consumers with a promotion focus are more likely to adopt positive reviews, while those with a prevention focus are more inclined to adopt negative reviews. Furthermore, situational regulatory focus further also moderates this relationship, with consumers browsing promotion-focused products more likely to adopt positive reviews and those evaluating prevention-focused products more likely to adopt negative reviews. These findings provide valuable insights into online review adoption and offer practical implications for optimizing review strategies on e-commerce platforms.