Authors : Dr. Vivek Mishra

Volume/Issue : Volume 11 - 2026, Issue 1 - January

Google Scholar : https://tinyurl.com/25f6unx6

Scribd : https://tinyurl.com/yc6py37b

DOI : https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/26jan041

Note : A published paper may take 4-5 working days from the publication date to appear in PlumX Metrics, Semantic Scholar, and ResearchGate.

Abstract : The growing prominence of online customer reviews has fundamentally reshaped consumer decision-making in digital marketplaces. As consumers increasingly rely on peer-generated evaluations in the absence of direct product experience, online reviews have become a critical informational and social influence shaping perceptions of value and purchase intention. This paper develops a theoretical perspective to examine how online customer reviews influence consumer behaviour, with particular emphasis on the mediating role of perceived value in translating review information into purchase intention. Drawing upon established theoretical frameworks, including the Theory of Reasoned Action, the Elaboration Likelihood Model, the Information Adoption Model, and Signalling Theory, the study synthesises existing literature to explain the cognitive, emotional, and social mechanisms through which consumers interpret and evaluate online review content. The discussion highlights how review characteristics such as credibility, valence, volume, and emotional tone shape perceived value by influencing benefit–sacrifice evaluations, trust formation, and risk reduction. Rather than treating online reviews as direct determinants of purchase intention, the paper conceptualises them as value-shaping stimuli that operate through complex psychological processes. By integrating electronic word-of-mouth research with value-based decision theory, this study contributes to marketing scholarship by offering a comprehensive theoretical explanation of review-driven consumer behaviour in digital environments. The paper concludes by outlining implications for future research and emphasising the need for greater theoretical attention to mediating mechanisms in online review contexts.

Keywords : Online Customer Reviews; Electronic Word of Mouth; Perceived Value; Purchase Intention; Consumer Behaviour; Digital Marketing.

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