Power of Sentiment Expressions on Peer-to-Peer Rental Platforms: A Mixed-Method Approach

Abstract

Studies have confirmed the ineffectiveness of sentiment expressions generated by sellers in improving guests’ purchasing intentions. However, how sentiment expressions can influence guest behavior and host performance remains unclear, given the relative importance of seller-generated content in peer-to-peer rental platforms. After collecting data from Airbnb and developing empirical models, this study confirmed that hosts’ sentiment expressions largely benefit from their online performance. This case is especially true when their properties did not receive high-quality negative reviews. To further reveal the mechanism behind this effect, we further conducted two experiments. Results show that trust plays an intermediary role in the relationship between hosts’ sentiment expressions and guests’ purchasing intentions. This work contributes to tourism literature and property owners on peer-to-peer rental platforms in practice.