Chapter 6

• 6 Conclusion
• 6.1 Discussion Results
• 6.2 Conclusion
• 6.3 Managerial Implications
• 6.4 Theoretical Implications
• 6.5 Research Limitations
• 6.6 Future Research

6.2 Conclusion

In this thesis the central question was:

To what extent influences Word-of-Mouth, in the field of music, the receiver's purchase intentions?

In the first chapter of this thesis, I have put forward that there is substantial anecdotal evidence that email lists, blogs, bulletin boards, forums, chat rooms, and the like, influence consumer knowledge and behavior (e.g., Rheingold, 1993). Also various authors suggest that Internet act as important reference groups for individual participants (e.g., Kozinets, 1997, 2002; Bickart & Schindler, 2001; Chevalier & Mayzlin, 2003).

I sought to find a theoretical and practical explanation that would assist researchers and managers as they seek to understand and manage eWOM among customers. The proposed antecedents combined to explain a large portion of the variance of eWOM. Interestingly, opportunity and ability did not significantly impact eWOM, whereas motivation did have a significant effect. Overall, the results provide evidence that the variable 'motivation' offers a valid approach to providing theoretical and managerial insight to the phenomenon of eWOM.

Furthermore, I have demonstrated that the Internet not only serves as an information source, but that it actually influences consumer decision(purchasing)-making. Although my findings relate to self-reports of perceived online influence and therefore cannot be taken as conclusive evidence that the Internet has changed consumer knowledge and behavior, it indicates that people take the information that they retrieve from the Internet into account. It also indicates that the amount of information available on the Internet, which mostly is weak tie, has an influence on eWOM's influence on the receiver's purchase intentions.