온·오프라인 환경에서 소비자 구전 민감도의 개념화와 관련 변인과의 상대적 영향에 관한 연구

This study aims to redefine the concept of consumers’ word-of-mouth(WOM) susceptibility in both online and offline environments and to examine the relative influence of related factors. To this end, the study developed measurement items for WOM susceptibility applicable across channels and investigated the impact of WOM susceptibility on consumer responses, as well as the moderating roles of related variables. In the first phase, a qualitative study was conducted to identify the conceptual dimensions and characteristics of WOM susceptibility in online and offline contexts. Based on the analysis, WOM susceptibility was found to consist of four cognitive and seven emotional components. In the second phase, the validity of the developed measurement was tested through an empirical study. The results revealed that consumers with high WOM susceptibility showed significantly higher product attitudes and usage intentions when exposed to WOM information compared to those with low WOM susceptibility. Furthermore, the moderating effect of interpersonal closeness on the relationship between WOM susceptibility and consumer responses was confirmed. Specifically, in offline environments, consumers with low WOM susceptibility exhibited more favorable attitudes and usage intentions when interpersonal closeness with the information provider was high. Based on these findings, the study discusses theoretical and managerial implications and proposes directions for future research.