Abstract

The substantial growth in online social networks has vastly expanded the potential impact of electronic word of mouth (eWOM) on consumer purchasing decisions. A critical literature review exposed that there is limited research on the impact of online consumer reviews on online purchasing decisions of Saudi Arabian consumers. This research reports on results of a study on the effects of online reviews on Saudi citizens' online purchasing decisions. The results show that Saudi Internet shoppers are very much influenced by eWOM, and that a larger percentage of them are dependent on such online forums when making decisions to purchase products through the Internet.

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