The moderating role of sense of power and psychological risk on the effect of eWOM and purchase intentions for Airbnb

Purpose: This study aims to explain the effect of electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) on Airbnb consumers’ behavioral intentions by examining the moderating role of sense of power and perceived psychological risk, especially in the challenging time after the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, this research also considers the critical role of culture in Airbnb customers’ experience by conducting a cross-cultural study in Italy, Portugal, and Vietnam.

Methods: Survey data from 1,146 Italian, 262 Portuguese and 441 Vietnamese customers allow us to test the hypothesis with the partial least squares structural equation modeling.

Results: The findings confirm the differential moderating role of sense of power and psychological risk in Airbnb customers’ eWOM adoption process across those research settings. Moreover, the desire to book shared accommodation is the most influential factor in customers’ purchase intention.

Implications: This research is among the first to delve into the understanding of how customers perceive and respond to eWOM with a specific emphasis on the accommodation sharing sector in a global pandemic. Additionally, it investigates the differential moderating role of sense of power and psychological risk in the online reviews adoption process of Airbnb customers by considering cultural differences.