Across a range of industries, regulators use ratings to inform consumers about firms and products. Using online experiments, we investigate two pathways through which individuals extract the information communicated by such ratings: beliefs about the distribution of ratings (e.g., how often good...

From “Chick Beer” to “Dryer sheets for Men,” identity-based labeling is frequently deployed to appeal to people who hold the targeted identity. However, five studies demonstrate that identity appeals can backfire, alienating the very individuals they aim to attract. We begin by...

We investigate whether organizations can create value by introducing visual transparency between consumers and producers. Although operational transparency has been shown to improve consumer perceptions of service value, existing theory posits that increased contact between consumers and...