Abstract
Although numerous studies explore word of mouth (WOM), the lack of or the paucity of review papers concerning the characteristics, antecedents, and consequences of WOM gives rise to a fragmented comprehension of word-of-mouth communication. Therefore, this review not only aims to consolidate where the previous and current studies stand on the characteristics, antecedents, and consequences of WOM, but it also aims to highlight where WOM is heading. Based on the concept-driven review methodology, this paper conducts a concise review and synthesis of WOM's characteristics, antecedents, and consequences. It also discusses several potential aspects worthy of further investigation, which provides related marketing researchers and practitioners highly interested in WOM with some directions for further explorations in WOM.
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