Antecedents of Consumer Loyalty Expressions in Online Reviews

Authors

  • Prashanth Ravula Morgan State University
  • Geetika Jaiswal Morgan State University
  • Miguel Ángel Zúñiga Morgan State University

Keywords:

Loyalty Expressions, Repurchase Intentions, Recommendations, Cognitive and Affective Evaluations, Product Category, Reviewer Experience

Abstract

In today's digital landscape, online reviews significantly influence consumer purchase decision-making. This study investigates the antecedents of loyalty expressions in online reviews, addressing a critical research gap. Specifically, we examine reviewers’ motivations to convey loyalty in their online reviews, whether through recommendations or repurchase intentions. We use publicly available Yelp reviews. We employ Probit models to model loyalty expressions, incorporating random intercepts to account for variation among reviewers. Our research reveals that experienced reviewers are more inclined to express loyalty through repurchase intentions, while novice reviewers tend to express via recommendations. Additionally, our findings highlight the interaction between product category and evaluation of consumption experience: cognitive evaluations drive repurchase intentions (recommendations) for frequently (infrequently) purchase products, while affective evaluations lead to repurchase intention (recommendation) for infrequently (frequently) purchased products. This study's findings provide crucial insights for retailers, highlighting the intricate interplay between reviewer experience, product category, evaluation of product consumption experience, and loyalty expressions in the context of online reviews.

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Published

2026-05-12

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Vol. 39 No. 1 (2026): The Journal of Consumer Satisfaction, Dissatisfaction and Complaining Behavior

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