摘要：The increase use of internet as source of information by consumers has raised concern among firms as well as practitioners, regarding the effectiveness of such information. Consumers have become savvier using the internet to gather information about products and/or services; trust in traditional advertisements has decrease and Marketers are particularly interested in better understanding electronic word- of-mouth (eWOM) because traditional forms of communication “advertising” appear to be losing effectiveness [1]. Subsequently, majority of e-Shoppers perceive opinions posted online more trustworthy than brand communities [2]. Hypermedia has created many opportunities for eWOM communication in the field of marketing; as information can be readily accessed online. According to the New York Times 65% of new business comes from referrals; indicating that most customers are gained through referrals and not advertisement.
