The Effects of User Reviews on Online Purchasing Behavior across Multiple Product Categories

Online user reviews are becoming an integral part of the online and offline purchasing process. In fact, the majority of US consumers consult an online product review before making a purchase. My research focuses on how consumers use online reviews across multiple product categories. For example:

• Do consumers prefer a larger number of reviews when looking at seller reviews than when looking at product reviews?
• Do consumers prefer controversial movies but shy away from any negative feedback when researching household goods?

Consumer's reactions to user reviews in one product category may not necessarily translate into other product categories.