온라인 쇼핑 환경에서 가짜 리뷰 유형과 제품 관여도에 따른 소비자들의 리뷰 불신

This study comparatively analyzed the levels of distrust toward both product review and review hosting site in the context of online shopping, depending on the type of fake reviews and product involvement. To this end, users of major Chinese online shopping platforms – JD.com, Taobao, Tmall, Pinduoduo, and TikTok – were surveyed to assess their attitudes toward fake reviews they had encountered. Specifically, the study compared review evaluations according to fake review types(overly positive review, incentivized review, duplicate review) and product involvement(enduring high involvement product, low involvement product). The findings revealed that distrust was highest when incentivized review was associated with enduring high involvement product, with the level of distrust toward the product review exceeding that toward the hosting site. In contrast, the lowest levels of distrust toward both product review and site were observed when overly positive review was identified in the context of low involvement product. These results suggest that sensitivity to fake review varies across users and that consumers respond more critically to fake reviews concerning products of greater personal relevance. Accordingly, the study provides concrete implications for both fake review research and practical applications in the field.