Seize the favorable impression: how hosts should manage positive online reviews

Abstract

Purpose Positive reviews can enrich the favorable impression of peer-to-peer accommodation products, and seizing this impression is vital for hosts. This study aims to focus on hosts’ response strategies to positive reviews and their effects. Design/methodology/approach This study categorizes hosts’ response strategies to positive reviews into cordial and tailoring responses. This study empirically analyzes the influence of these response strategies on subsequent review volumes using 1,283 valid listings and zero-inflation negative binomial regression models. Findings While hosts use cordial responses more, tailoring responses are more likely to drive subsequent reviews. In addition, when the host chooses entirely shared accommodation or sets a high price, the facilitating effect of the two response strategies on subsequent reviews weakens. Research limitations/implications This study enriches the knowledge system on managerial responses by proposing two specific response strategies to positive reviews that can be adopted by peer-to-peer accommodation hosts and by finding the promoting impact of these strategies on subsequent review volumes. Practical implications This study recommends that peer-to-peer accommodation hosts adopt cordial and tailoring responses to encourage subsequent consumer reviewing behavior. Originality/value As an early attempt to explore hosts’ responses to positive reviews and their impacts on subsequent review volumes, this study provides valuable insights into further research on positive review response strategies in the digital space.