Consumer Response to Online Reviews: Mediating Role of Perceived Usefulness and Insights from Purchase Intention Models

Abstract

This study examines how online review dimensions influence
smartphone purchase decisions among university students in
Southeast Nigeria, with perceived usefulness modelled as a mediating
variable. Drawing on the electronic word-of-mouth literature, the
Technology Acceptance Model, the Elaboration Likelihood Model, and
the Information Adoption Model, the study focuses on five review
dimensions: quality, credibility, volume, consistency, and valence. A
quantitative survey design was adopted. Data were collected via a
structured electronic questionnaire administered to undergraduate
students at four universities in Southeast Nigeria. Of the 399
questionnaires distributed, 355 usable responses were retained for
analysis. Descriptive statistics, linear regression and mediation analysis
using Hayes PROCESS Model 4 were applied. The findings show that
review quality, credibility, volume, consistency and valence each had a
positive and significant effect on perceived usefulness. Perceived
usefulness also had a positive and significant effect on smartphone
purchase decisions. The mediation test confirmed that perceived
usefulness partially mediates the relationship between online review
dimensions and smartphone purchase decision. The study contributes
to online consumer behaviour research by showing that the persuasive
influence of online reviews in an emerging African smartphone market
operates not only through review exposure but also through students’
assessment of the usefulness of review information.