THE IMPACT OF ELECTRONIC WORD-OF-MOUTH (eWOM) ON NEW CUSTOMER ACQUISITION : A Study of How Online Customer Reviews Affect New Downloads of Mobile Applications
Dramani, Iliyasu (2019)
Dramani, Iliyasu
Åbo Akademi
2019
Julkaisu on tekijänoikeussäännösten alainen. Teosta voi lukea ja tulostaa henkilökohtaista käyttöä varten. Käyttö kaupallisiin tarkoituksiin on kielletty.
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi-fe2019110737083
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi-fe2019110737083
Tiivistelmä
This thesis explores the impact of electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM), focusing primarily on the user reviews of mobile apps by customers on the decisions of prospective mobile app customers to download mobile apps. The aim of the study was to enable a better understanding of the rationale or the elements that prospective customers take into consideration before downloading mobile apps onto their smartphones or tablets.
The study focused on millennials from the Helsinki capital area who were interviewed to collect data for the study. The relevant literature were reviewed to serve as a theoretical basis for the study with a focus on eWOM in general and user reviews of mobile apps in particular.
The findings indicated that textual reviews of mobile app customers are vital in the decision of prospective mobile app customers in downloading mobile apps. However, these decisions are influenced by certain underlying factors. Some of these decision-impacting factors are the perceived credibility of the source of the information as well as the shared relationships between the information source and receiver of the information.
Additionally, in evaluating the textual user reviews of mobile apps as part of the decision-making process, the millennials were not necessarily methodical in their approach of evaluating the usefulness and authenticity of the user reviews.
The findings of the study can be used as the basis for mobile app developers and stakeholders to improve on their products or service offerings. Also, marketers of mobile apps will be equipped with the requisite information on which effective decisions can be based for sustainable growth of organizations within the industry. Finally, the findings of the study have implications for academia as it contributes to knowledge of the relevant field as well as provide knowledge “gaps” for further studies.
The study focused on millennials from the Helsinki capital area who were interviewed to collect data for the study. The relevant literature were reviewed to serve as a theoretical basis for the study with a focus on eWOM in general and user reviews of mobile apps in particular.
The findings indicated that textual reviews of mobile app customers are vital in the decision of prospective mobile app customers in downloading mobile apps. However, these decisions are influenced by certain underlying factors. Some of these decision-impacting factors are the perceived credibility of the source of the information as well as the shared relationships between the information source and receiver of the information.
Additionally, in evaluating the textual user reviews of mobile apps as part of the decision-making process, the millennials were not necessarily methodical in their approach of evaluating the usefulness and authenticity of the user reviews.
The findings of the study can be used as the basis for mobile app developers and stakeholders to improve on their products or service offerings. Also, marketers of mobile apps will be equipped with the requisite information on which effective decisions can be based for sustainable growth of organizations within the industry. Finally, the findings of the study have implications for academia as it contributes to knowledge of the relevant field as well as provide knowledge “gaps” for further studies.
Kokoelmat
- 512 Liiketaloustiede [431]