Assertions of Expertise in Online Product Reviews

Abstract

In online consumer reviews on Web sites such as Epinions, laypeople write and post their evaluations of technical products. But how do they get readers to take their opinions seriously? One way that online reviewers establish credibility is to assert expertise. This article describes 10 types of assertions that online reviewers used (along with the three broader categories of these types), explaining the method used to test the types for reliability. This testing revealed that the types are reliable. This study lays the groundwork for understanding how reviewers construct expertise and, therefore, credibility and for gauging readers' perceptions of reviews that contain these assertions.

Construcción discursiva de la subjetividad en lengua inglesa: Cuando los viajeros se quejan a través de sus opiniones en TripAdvisor

“…Pueden alojarse en plataformas-buscadores digitales como TripAdvisor, Trivago, Booking, etc., siendo TripAdvisor la preferida por los usuarios (Briggs et al 2007, Gretzel 2007, Chung y Buhalis 2008, Cunningham et al 2010. El género opinión de viajeros forma parte del eWOM (electronic Word-of-Mouth) o información "boca-a-boca" y es fundamental para el márketing turístico por internet (Mackiewics 2010). Esto es debido a la necesidad que el turista o viajero 2.0 tiene de recabar opiniones de otros usuarios antes de decidir qué hotel, restaurante, atracción o evento contratar.…”

Understanding Trust within Online Discussion Boards: Trust Formation in the Absence of Reputation Systems

“…According to Mackiewicz [61] expertise gives people a reason to trust. She sees it as a warranty people can use to make an assessment.…”

“…They give insight in the fact whether a person has the necessary skills and knowledge to know what he is talking about. According to Mackiewicz [61] forum members can express expertise by using specialized terminology or by making an explicit claim of expertise. This explicit claim of expertise can be made by telling about your experience with a certain product, a service or a task through a forum post.…”

“…A claim of expertise can also be made on the basis of a relevant role: 'reviewers construct […] an identity for themselves that included a role particularly relevant to the product.' [61]. According to Mackiewicz [61], roles can be based upon people's experience from a hobby or employment in a profession.…”

“…[61]. According to Mackiewicz [61], roles can be based upon people's experience from a hobby or employment in a profession. They can also be based upon the fact that the member had a formal training or has done a lot of research -which the author calls an instant expert -and upon second hand experiences -the forum member does not talk about his own experiences but about his connection with another person who has relevant experience.…”