Sedentario, Leiff Laurence M.
The influence of negative fake online reviews on customer trust and product perception.
Online marketplaces rely heavily on consumer reviews to guide purchasing decisions. However, the rise of negative fake reviews—fabricated comments intended to harm products or businesses—has raised concerns about their impact on customer trust and product perception. This study examined how negative fake reviews influence these two key aspects of consumer behavior. A quantitative correlational design was used, with data collected from 337 university students in Cebu City, Philippines, who purchase products online at least once a month. A structured survey measured perceptions of negative fake reviews, customer trust, and product perception using a 5-point Likert scale. Descriptive statistics and regression analysis were employed to analyze the data. Findings revealed that respondents generally agreed that negative fake reviews are common, exaggerated, and difficult to distinguish from genuine feedback. The regression analysis showed that perceptions of fake reviews significantly predicted both customer trust (R² = 0.26) and product perception (R² = 0.28). Respondents reported reduced confidence, hesitation to purchase, and lower evaluations of product quality, reliability, and value when exposed to suspicious reviews. Negative fake reviews significantly undermine consumer trust and distort product perception. These results highlight the need for stronger platform interventions, such as verified purchase tags and credibility indicators, as well as consumer education to improve digital literacy. Future research can expand by exploring fake positive reviews, cultural differences in review perception, and advanced detection technologies to further protect trust in digital marketplaces.
Deception.
Word-of-mouth advertising.
Internet marketing.
The influence of negative fake online reviews on customer trust and product perception.
Online marketplaces rely heavily on consumer reviews to guide purchasing decisions. However, the rise of negative fake reviews—fabricated comments intended to harm products or businesses—has raised concerns about their impact on customer trust and product perception. This study examined how negative fake reviews influence these two key aspects of consumer behavior. A quantitative correlational design was used, with data collected from 337 university students in Cebu City, Philippines, who purchase products online at least once a month. A structured survey measured perceptions of negative fake reviews, customer trust, and product perception using a 5-point Likert scale. Descriptive statistics and regression analysis were employed to analyze the data. Findings revealed that respondents generally agreed that negative fake reviews are common, exaggerated, and difficult to distinguish from genuine feedback. The regression analysis showed that perceptions of fake reviews significantly predicted both customer trust (R² = 0.26) and product perception (R² = 0.28). Respondents reported reduced confidence, hesitation to purchase, and lower evaluations of product quality, reliability, and value when exposed to suspicious reviews. Negative fake reviews significantly undermine consumer trust and distort product perception. These results highlight the need for stronger platform interventions, such as verified purchase tags and credibility indicators, as well as consumer education to improve digital literacy. Future research can expand by exploring fake positive reviews, cultural differences in review perception, and advanced detection technologies to further protect trust in digital marketplaces.
Deception.
Word-of-mouth advertising.
Internet marketing.