Consumer’s response to a Word-of-Mouth solicitation: The effects of solicitation framing and the deadline to influence Word-of-Mouth transmission.
(A2019-10043)

AUTHORS

Camille Lacan, IAE - University of Perpignan Via Domitia

KEYWORDS

WOM; message framing; deadline

ABSTRACT

Driven by the rapid evolution of online social networks and Internet, online Word-of-Mouth communications (WOM) are becoming central for developing the visibility of an offer. Drawing on prospect theory and temporal distance, this article examines the response of consumers to a WOM solicitation. Reporting on an experimental setting, this article reveals that a loss-framed solicitation is more effective than a gain-framed one, but only among the most involved contributors. Moreover, the interaction between the time remaining before the campaign deadline and the framing means that a loss-framed message corresponds to stronger temporal discounting. A loss-framed message therefore is more effective than a gain-framed one only if the end of the campaign is near. These findings offer notable implications to encourage consumers in word-of-mouth transmission.