Electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) dispersion often increases perceived risk and reduces purchase intention; however, a high dispersion of eWOM regarding local food may have different effects on tourists. This study explores how eWOM dispersion influences tourists’ purchase intentions for local food. We find that high eWOM dispersion actually stimulates tourists’ curiosity, thereby enhancing their intention to purchase local food. This effect is moderated by the dimensions of eWOM and regulatory focus. Specifically, high dispersion regarding taste increases purchase intention, whereas high dispersion regarding quality decreases it. For tourists with a promotion focus, high dispersion strengthens purchase intention, but it is vice versa for those with a prevention focus. This study extends the literature on eWOM dispersion in the marketing of local food and reveals the mechanism of curiosity, providing practical guidance for local food restaurants.
AakerJ. L.LeeA. Y. (2001). “I” seek pleasures and “we” avoid pains: The role of self-regulatory goals in information processing and persuasion. Journal of Consumer Research, 28(1), 33–49. https://doi.org/10.1086/321946
2.
AbdullahS.Van CauwenbergeP.Vander BauwhedeH.O’ConnorP. (2022). User-generated reviews and the financial performance of restaurants. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 34(10), 3697–3714. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJCHM-10-2021-1236
3.
AlderighiM.BianchiC.LorenziniE. (2016). The impact of local food specialities on the decision to (re)visit a tourist destination: Market-expanding or business-stealing?Tourism Management, 57, 323–333. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2016.06.016
4.
BerlyneD. E. (1966). Curiosity and exploration: Animals spend much of their time seeking stimuli whose significance raises problems for psychology. Science, 153(3731), 25–33. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.153.3731.25
5.
BjörkP.Kauppinen-RäisänenH. (2016). Exploring the multi-dimensionality of travellers’ culinary-gastronomic experiences. Current Issues in Tourism, 19(12), 1260–1280. https://doi.org/10.1080/13683500.2013.868412
6.
ChangR. C. Y.KivelaJ.MakA. H. N. (2011). Attributes that influence the evaluation of travel dining experience: When East meets West. Tourism Management, 32(2), 307–316. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2010.02.009
ChevalierJ. A.MayzlinD. (2006). The effect of word of mouth on sales: Online book reviews. Journal of Marketing Research, 43(3), 345–354. https://doi.org/10.1509/jmkr.43.3.345
9.
ChoeJ. Y. J.KimS. S. (2018). Effects of tourists’ local food consumption value on attitude, food destination image, and behavioral intention. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 71, 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2017.11.007
10.
ChoiJ.ParkJ.JeonH.AsperinA. E. (2021). Exploring local food consumption in restaurants through the lens of locavorism. Journal of Hospitality Marketing & Management, 30(8), 982–1004. https://doi.org/10.1080/19368623.2021.1923608
11.
ClemonsE. K.GaoG. G.HittL. M. (2006). When online reviews meet hyper differentiation: A study of the craft beer industry. Journal of Management Information Systems, 23(2), 149–171. https://doi.org/10.2753/MIS0742-1222230207
CroweE.HigginsE. T. (1997). Regulatory focus and strategic inclinations: Promotion and prevention in decision-making. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 69(2), 117–132. https://doi.org/10.1006/obhd.1996.2675
14.
CuiH.-J.FamK.-S.ZhaoT.-Y. (2020). Regulatory focus and message framing’s effects on intention to consume ethnic food in China. British Food Journal, 122(6), 1969–1982. https://doi.org/10.1108/BFJ-09-2018-0637
15.
CuiH.-J.YaoF.JinX.ZhaoT.XuW.SmyczekS. (2023). Effect of regulatory focus on food variety-seeking behavior of Chinese tourists. Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research, 47(1), 153–176. https://doi.org/10.1177/1096348020988893
16.
DaumeJ.Hüttl-MaackV. (2020). Curiosity-inducing advertising: How positive emotions and expectations drive the effect of curiosity on consumer evaluations of products. International Journal of Advertising, 39(2), 307–328. https://doi.org/10.1080/02650487.2019.1633163
17.
EertmansA.VictoirA.VansantG.Van den BerghO. (2005). Food-related personality traits, food choice motives and food intake: Mediator and moderator relationships. Food Quality and Preference, 16(8), 714–726. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodqual.2005.04.007
EverettS.AitchisonC. (2008). The role of food tourism in sustaining regional identity: A case study of Cornwall, South West England. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 16(2), 150–167. https://doi.org/10.2167/jost696.0
20.
FaulF.ErdfelderE.BuchnerA.LangA.-G. (2009). Statistical power analyses using G*Power 3.1: Tests for correlation and regression analyses. Behavior Research Methods, 41(4), 1149–1160. https://doi.org/10.3758/BRM.41.4.1149
FriedmanR. S.FörsterJ. (2001). The effects of promotion and prevention cues on creativity. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 81(6), 1001–1013. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.81.6.1001
23.
GolderP. N.MitraD.MoormanC. (2012). What is quality? An integrative framework of processes and states. Journal of Marketing, 76(4), 1–23. https://doi.org/10.1509/jm.09.0416
24.
HeS. X.BondS. D. (2015). Why is the crowd divided? Attribution for dispersion in online word of mouth. Journal of Consumer Research, 41(6), 1509–1527. https://doi.org/10.1086/680667
25.
HigginsE. T. (1998). Promotion and prevention: Regulatory focus as a motivational principle. In ZannaM. P. (Ed.), Advances in experimental social psychology (Vol. 30, pp. 1–46). Academic Press. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0065-2601(08)60381-0
JiM.WongI. A.EvesA.ScarlesC. (2016). Food-related personality traits and the moderating role of novelty-seeking in food satisfaction and travel outcomes. Tourism Management, 57, 387–396. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2016.06.003
28.
JosiamB. M.MonteiroP. A. (2004). Tandoori tastes: Perceptions of Indian restaurants in America. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 16(1), 18–26. https://doi.org/10.1108/09596110410516525
29.
KahnemanD.TverskyA. (1979). Prospect theory: An analysis of decision under risk. Econometrica: Journal of the Econometric Society, 47(2), 263–291. https://doi.org/10.1142/9789814417358_0006
30.
KimY. G.EvesA.ScarlesC. (2009). Building a model of local food consumption on trips and holidays: A grounded theory approach. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 28(3), 423–431. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2008.11.005
31.
KivelaJ.InbakaranR.ReeceJ. (1999). Consumer research in the restaurant environment, Part 1: A conceptual model of dining satisfaction and return patronage. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 11(5), 205–222. https://doi.org/10.1108/09596119910272739
32.
KrugerJ.EvansM. (2009). The paradox of Alypius and the pursuit of unwanted information. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 45(6), 1173–1179. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jesp.2009.06.009
33.
LanganR.BesharatA.VarkiS. (2017). The effect of review valence and variance on product evaluations: An examination of intrinsic and extrinsic cues. International Journal of Research in Marketing, 34(2), 414–429. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijresmar.2016.10.004
34.
LeeA. Y.AakerJ. L. (2004). Bringing the frame into focus: The influence of regulatory fit on processing fluency and persuasion. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 86(2), 205–218. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.86.2.205
35.
LeeN.BollingerB.StaelinR. (2023). Vertical versus horizontal variance in online reviews and their impact on demand. Journal of Marketing Research, 60(1), 130–154. https://doi.org/10.1177/00222437221107549
36.
LeeS. (2024). What triggers customer curiosity? Exploring the role of branded content experience design on customer response. Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/10963480231220274
37.
LeeT. H.ChaoW. H.LinH.-Y. (2018). Cultural inheritance of Hakka cuisine: A perspective from tourists’ experiences. Journal of Destination Marketing and Management, 7, 101–111. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jdmm.2016.09.006
38.
LinB.WangS.FuX.YiX. (2023). Beyond local food consumption: The impact of local food consumption experience on cultural competence, eudaimonia and behavioral intention. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 35(1), 137–158. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJCHM-01-2022-0099
39.
LinJ.CuiQ.XuH.GuiaJ. (2022). Health and local food consumption in cross-cultural tourism mobility: An assemblage approach. Tourism Geographies, 24(6–7), 1103–1122. https://doi.org/10.1080/14616688.2020.1867887
40.
LinL.MaoP.-C. (2015). Food for memories and culture – A content analysis study of food specialties and souvenirs. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, 22, 19–29. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhtm.2014.12.001
41.
LitmanJ. (2005). Curiosity and the pleasures of learning: Wanting and liking new information. Cognition and Emotion, 19(6), 793–814. https://doi.org/10.1080/02699930541000101
LuL.WuL.HeZ. (2020). Is your restaurant worth the risk? A motivational perspective on reviews’ rating distribution and volume. Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research, 44(8), 1291–1317. https://doi.org/10.1177/1096348020944537
ManerJ. K.GerendM. A. (2007). Motivationally selective risk judgments: Do fear and curiosity boost the boons or the banes?Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 103(2), 256–267. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.obhdp.2006.08.002
NamkungY.JangS. (2007). Does food quality really matter in restaurants? Its impact on customer satisfaction and behavioral intentions. Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research, 31(3), 387–409. https://doi.org/10.1177/1096348007299924
48.
ÖzdemirB.SeyitoğluF. (2017). A conceptual study of gastronomical quests of tourists: Authenticity or safety and comfort?Tourism Management Perspectives, 23, 1–7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tmp.2017.03.010
49.
ParkS. B.ParkD. H. (2013). The effect of low-versus high-variance in product reviews on product evaluation. Psychology and Marketing, 30(7), 543–554. https://doi.org/10.1002/mar.20626
50.
PettyR. E.BriñolP. (2012). The elaboration likelihood model. In Van LangeP. A. M.KruglanskiA. W.HigginsE. T. (Eds.), Handbook of theories of social psychology (pp. 224–245). Sage. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781446249215.n12
51.
RozenkrantsB.WheelerS. C.ShivB. (2017). Self-expression cues in product rating distributions: When people prefer polarizing products. Journal of Consumer Research, 44(4), 759–777. https://doi.org/10.1093/jcr/ucx067
52.
RyuK.JangS. (2006). Intention to experience local cuisine in a travel destination: The modified theory of reasoned action. Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research, 30(4), 507–516. https://doi.org/10.1177/1096348006287163
53.
Salehi-EsfahaniS.OzturkA. B. (2018). Negative reviews: Formation, spread, and halt of opportunistic behavior. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 74, 138–146. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2018.06.022
54.
SchoenmuellerV.NetzerO.StahlF. (2020). The polarity of online reviews: Prevalence, drivers and implications. Journal of Marketing Research, 57(5), 853–877. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022243720941832
55.
ShihabM. R.PutriA. P. (2019). Negative online reviews of popular products: Understanding the effects of review proportion and quality on consumers’ attitude and intention to buy. Electronic Commerce Research, 19, 159–187. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10660-018-9294-y
56.
SidaliK. L.KastenholzE.BianchiR. (2015). Food tourism, niche markets and products in rural tourism: Combining the intimacy model and the experience economy as a rural development strategy. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 23(8–9), 1179–1197. https://doi.org/10.2167/jost696.0
57.
SimsR. (2009). Food, place and authenticity: Local food and the sustainable tourism experience. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 17(3), 321–336. https://doi.org/10.1080/09669580802359293
58.
SongM.LawR.DuanY. (2022). What are the obstacles in the way to “avoid landmines”? Influence of electronic word-of-mouth dispersion on order decision from the self-construal perspective. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 107, Article 103334. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2022.103334
59.
StoneH.FitzGibbonL.MillanE.MurayamaK. (2022). Curious to eat insects? Curiosity as a Key Predictor of Willingness to try novel food. Appetite, 168, Article 105790. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2021.105790
60.
StoneM. J.MigaczS.SthapitE. (2022). Connections between culinary tourism experiences and memory. Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research, 46(4), 797–807. https://doi.org/10.1177/1096348021994171
61.
StoneM. J.SoulardJ.MigaczS.WolfE. (2018). Elements of memorable food, drink, and culinary tourism experiences. Journal of Travel Research, 57(8), 1121–1132. https://doi.org/10.1177/0047287517729758
SweeneyJ. C.SoutarG. N.JohnsonL. W. (1999). The role of perceived risk in the quality-value relationship: A study in a retail environment. Journal of Retailing, 75(1), 77–105. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-4359(99)80005-0
64.
WangC.HuangY. (2018). “I want to know the answer! Give me fish ’n’ chips!”: The impact of curiosity on indulgent choice. Journal of Consumer Research, 44(5), 1052–1067. https://doi.org/10.1093/jcr/ucx086
65.
WangF.LiuX.FangE. E. (2015). User reviews variance, critic reviews variance, and product sales: An exploration of customer breadth and depth effects. Journal of Retailing, 91(3), 372–389. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretai.2015.04.007
66.
WigginK. L.ReimannM.JainS. P. (2019). Curiosity tempts indulgence. Journal of Consumer Research, 45(6), 1194–1212. https://doi.org/10.1093/jcr/ucy055
WuY.LiuT.TengL.ZhangH.XieC. (2021). The impact of online review variance of new products on consumer adoption intentions. Journal of Business Research, 136, 209–218. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2021.07.014
69.
WuY.NgaiE. W.WuP.WuC. (2020). Fake online reviews: Literature review, synthesis, and directions for future research. Decision Support Systems, 132, Article 113280. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dss.2020.113280
70.
ZhangH.LiL.YangY.ZhangJ. (2018). Why do domestic tourists choose to consume local food? The differential and non-monotonic moderating effects of subjective knowledge. Journal of Destination Marketing & Management, 10, 68–77. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jdmm.2018.06.001
71.
ZhangT.ChenJ.HuB. (2019). Authenticity, quality, and loyalty: Local food and sustainable tourism experience. Sustainability, 11(12), Article 3437. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11123437
72.
ZhangZ.LiY.LiH.ZhangZ. (2022). Restaurants’ motivations to solicit fake reviews: A competition perspective. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 107, Article 103337. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2022.103337
73.
ZhangZ.YeQ.LawR.LiY. (2010). The impact of e-word-of-mouth on the online popularity of restaurants: A comparison of consumer reviews and editor reviews. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 29(4), 694–700. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2010.02.002
74.
ZhaoK.YangX.TaoX.XuX.ZhaoJ. (2020). Exploring the differential effects of online reviews on Film’s box-office success: Source identity and brand equity from an integrated perspective. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, Article 217. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00217
75.
ZimmermannS.HerrmannP.KundischD.NaultB. R. (2018). Decomposing the variance of consumer ratings and the impact on price and demand. Information Systems Research, 29(4), 984–1002. https://doi.org/10.1287/isre.2017.0764
76.
ZouL. W.ChanR. Y. K. (2019). Why and when do consumers perform green behaviors? An examination of regulatory focus and ethical ideology. Journal of Business Research, 94, 113–127. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2018.04.006
Supplementary Material
Please find the following supplemental material available below.
For Open Access articles published under a Creative Commons License, all supplemental material carries the same license as the article it is associated with.
For non-Open Access articles published, all supplemental material carries a non-exclusive license, and permission requests for re-use of supplemental material or any part of supplemental material shall be sent directly to the copyright owner as specified in the copyright notice associated with the article.
