How consumers react to online reviews and managerial responses from marked source channels on an accommodation-sharing platform?

Abstract

Resource sharing, which is a common online platform merger or cooperation phenomenon, involves the sharing of online reviews and managerial responses (MRs) originating from competing platforms on a focal platform. However, how reviews and MRs marked as originating from different channels can sway the booking intention of consumers on the focal platform remains unknown. By considering consumer and host sides in the context of a two-sided accommodation-sharing market, our study addresses related issues by conducting econometric analysis and online experiments. Results show that subsequent consumers on a focal platform will tend to book a property with reviews and MRs marked as originating from the focal platform, instead of other competing channels. This study discusses the underlying mechanisms, namely, consumer trust and consumer-perceived host loyalty, by using source credibility theory. This study extends research on data resource sharing and provides valuable practical insights to platform managers and hosts.