Exploring Ethical Dimensions of Marketers' Influence on Electronic Word-of-Mouth and Its Effect on Customer Trust

Abstract

Electronic word-of-mouth, or e-WOM, has emerged due to the expanding trend of online transactions in every category. This change in consumer purchase behavior has led to the widespread presence of online reviews, which have become a significant reference source before purchases are made. Constant dependence of customers on these reviews has induced marketers to manipulate these to their benefit. They do so by offering discounts or incentivizing customers who readily agree to post false positive reviews of their products. All such fraudulent practices are termed “opinion spam,” which undermines customers' trust. The study's objective is to look into the factors and practices that have led to the burgeoning issue of opinion spam and its impact on customer trust. The study also examines the different ethical norms and standards laid down by regulatory bodies and how marketers' actions align with those. The study is based on secondary data, mainly collected and compiled from academic articles, case studies, and industry reports on opinion spam, customer trust, and marketing ethics.