Marketing & consumer behavior
Electronic word of mouth (eWOM) scale: how to measure
- Concept
- Word of Mouth
- Field
- Marketing & consumer behavior
- Scales in the library
- 2
- Items
- 8
Word of mouth is consumers sharing information and opinions about products or brands with others; electronic word of mouth (eWOM) happens through online reviews, social media and forums. Two directions should be distinguished: receiving eWOM (reading reviews before buying) and spreading eWOM (sharing, reposting). The concept is often placed in TPB, the information adoption model or social media marketing models. Common topics: the effect of online reviews on purchase intention for cosmetics, travel and dining.
Comparing the scales
| Scale | Author (year) | Items | Response format | When to use it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electronic Word of Mouth (EWOM) eWOM scale | Jalilvand & Samiei (2012) | 6 | Likert 5-point | Choose this to measure how much consumers read and rely on online reviews before buying. |
| Word of Mouth (WOM) Social media marketing activities | Kim & Ko (2012) | 2 | Likert 5-point | Choose this to measure willingness to share or repost brand content on social media; 2 items. |
Items of each scale
Original English wording from the published source. Replace placeholders such as [system] or
[brand] with what your study is about, and pilot the questionnaire with 20 to 30 respondents first.
Electronic Word of Mouth (EWOM) · eWOM scale
| Code | Item |
|---|---|
| EWOM1 | I often read other consumers' online product reviews to know what products/brands make good impressions on others. |
| EWOM2 | To make sure I buy the right product/brand, I often read other consumers' online product reviews. |
| EWOM3 | I often consult other consumers' online product reviews to help choose the right product/brand. |
| EWOM4 | I frequently gather information from online consumers' product reviews before I buy a certain product/brand. |
| EWOM5 | If I don't read consumers' online product reviews when I buy a product/brand, I worry about my decision. |
| EWOM6 | When I buy a product/brand, consumers' online product reviews make me confident in purchasing the product/brand. |
Source: Jalilvand & Samiei (2012). Response scale, licence and APA reference: eWOM scale.
Word of Mouth (WOM) · Social media marketing activities
| Code | Item |
|---|---|
| WOM1 | I would like to pass along information on brand, product, or services from [brand]'s social media to my friends. |
| WOM2 | I would like to upload contents from [brand]'s social media on my blog or micro blog. |
Source: Kim & Ko (2012). Response scale, licence and APA reference: Social media marketing activities.
Tips
- The Jalilvand and Samiei scale measures receiving eWOM, not respondents writing reviews themselves. State the correct direction in your hypotheses.
- The Kim and Ko WOM scale has only 2 items. If you use it as a separate variable in SEM, add 1 item.
- Replace 'product/brand' with the specific product type (for example hotel, cosmetics) to make items sound natural.
- If you need to measure saying positive things and recommending to others, items LOY1 to LOY3 in the behavioral intention scale of Zeithaml et al. (1996) can be consulted.
Once you have a scale, put the concept in the research model drawer to state your hypotheses, work out the minimum sample size, and after data collection check reliability with the Cronbach's alpha calculator.
Frequently asked questions
How do word of mouth and electronic word of mouth differ?
Traditional word of mouth happens face to face among acquaintances. Electronic word of mouth happens on the Internet, can reach strangers, is stored, and spreads more widely.
Is eWOM an independent or dependent variable?
It depends on the direction. Receiving eWOM is usually an independent variable affecting purchase intention. Spreading eWOM is usually a dependent variable, an outcome of satisfaction or loyalty.
How many items does the Jalilvand and Samiei eWOM scale have?
6 items, agree-disagree Likert with 5 or 7 points, developed from Bambauer-Sachse and Mangold (2011).