Online complaining: understanding the adoption process and the role of individual and situational characteristics

Abstract

Despite the relevance of online customer complaining, little research exists in this area. The purpose of this paper is twofold. First, develop and test a conceptual model to understand customers’ intention to adopt online complaining. Second, compare two competing perspectives regarding elaboration likelihood (i.e. willingness / ability to exert cognitive effort and consumption value) for the moderating impact of individual differences. Regarding the first objective, our findings reveal that customer’s attitudes toward online complaining are explained by outcome and process characteristics. Attitude towards online complaining is also influenced by individual characteristics, but surprisingly remains unaffected by situational characteristics. In contrast, usage intentions are influenced by situational characteristics, but do not depend on personality differences. Surprising results are found concerning our second objective. For the moderating impact of affect-based personality characteristics, the often used cognitive effort perspective to elaboration likelihood is not supported. Rather the consumption value perspective applies for these variables.