Influence of Online Review and Rating System towards Consumer Preferences in Hospitality Sector

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of online review and rating systems on
online consumer behavior in the hotel industry. The study applied quantitative method and data
was collected through online survey. 174 usable responses were performed in data analysis by
using multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) and multiple regression analysis. The
findings suggested that online consumer’s perception of valence not only depends on rating
score component but also depends on other online review components such as review content
and responding message from service providers. Rational review content produced more impact
on online consumer’s perception of information diagnosticity than the effect of emotional review
content. The online consumer’s perception of source credibility can be increased by providing
source identity of reviewers. Furthermore, a negative online review created more powerful
impact on online consumers’ perceptions, attitudes and purchase intention than a positive one.