Online consumer reviews (OCRs) are increasingly used by consumers to make informed decisions about Payment-related products. However, there is an increase in concern about the level of trustworthiness of OCRs.

While most reviews are positive, it’s usually the negative reviews that hold more weight as they describe specific deficiencies that a product might have. People trust reviews because they seem to be representative of the average consumer and can be applied to anyone. However, only 1.5% of buyers actually write a review

Results show that consumers primarily use cues related to the message content and style and review extremity and valence to assess trustworthiness. Findings indicate that moderating variables such as consumer involvement and experience as well as the type of website affects the way consumers assess trustworthiness. Reviews perceived as untrustworthy are discounted by consumers.