Online Review Systems : How Emotional Language Drives Sales

How does emotional expression in online reviews affect sales? To answer this question, a model is constructed based on theories of sentiment. This model is tested experimentally. Controlling for online review valence online review emotionality affects product sales. The impact is moderated by product type, but not by product price. Specifically, online review language that expresses intense positive or negative emotions increases sales for hedonic products, but it doesn’t affect sales for utilitarian products. This result has implications for the design of online review display algorithms