Blessing or Curse? How Peer Customer Endorsement Shapes Product Ratings on Social Commerce Platforms

Jinming Dang; Xiang Gong; Christy M. K. Cheung; Matthew K. O. Lee

Blessing or Curse? How Peer Customer Endorsement Shapes Product Ratings on Social Commerce Platforms

Jinming Dang, Xiang Gong^*, Christy M. K. Cheung, Matthew K. O. Lee

^*Corresponding author for this work

Department of Information Systems

Research output: Chapters, Conference Papers, Creative and Literary Works › RGC 32 - Refereed conference paper (with host publication) › peer-review

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Abstract

Influential celebrity endorsement (ICE) and peer customer endorsement (PCE) are two widely adopted promotional strategies in social commerce. Prior literature has primarily examined the effect of ICE, largely overlooking the effect of PCE. Drawing on social influence theory, we investigate how PCE affects subsequent product ratings. On the one hand, PCE could increase product ratings by providing an alternative information source to reduce the product uncertainty (i.e., informational social influence). On the other hand, PCE may decrease product ratings by shaping high pre-purchase expectation and negative post-purchase expectation disconfirmation (i.e., normative social influence). Using a difference-in-difference approach, we find that PCE significantly decreases 9.5% of product ratings. The negative effect is more pronounced for products with higher customer engagement and insurance service. Our study contributes to research by examining how and why PCE affects product ratings. We also inform sellers to strategically manage the potential negative effects of PCE.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Proceedings of the 59th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences
Editors	Tung X. Bui
Publisher	University of Hawaii at Manoa
Pages	3070-3079
ISBN (Electronic)	978-0-9981331-9-5
Publication status	Published - 2026
Event	59th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences (HICSS 2026) - Hyatt Regency Maui, Maui, United States Duration: 6 Jan 2026 → 9 Jan 2026 https://hicss.hawaii.edu/program-hicss59/

Publication series

Name	Proceedings of the Annual Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences
ISSN (Electronic)	2572-6862

Conference

Conference	59th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences (HICSS 2026)
Abbreviated title	HICSS-59
Place	United States
City	Maui
Period	6/01/26 → 9/01/26
Internet address	https://hicss.hawaii.edu/program-hicss59/

Bibliographical note

Research Unit(s) information for this publication is provided by the author(s) concerned.

Funding

This work was supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Project Nos. 72371197 and 72001168).

Research Keywords

Social commerce
Social influence
Peer customer endorsement
Difference-in-difference

Publisher's Copyright Statement

This full text is made available under CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

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420888918.pdfFinal Published version, 545 KBLicence: CC BY-NC-ND

https://hdl.handle.net/10125/111764

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Dang, J., Gong, X., Cheung, C. M. K., & Lee, M. K. O. (2026). Blessing or Curse? How Peer Customer Endorsement Shapes Product Ratings on Social Commerce Platforms. In T. X. Bui (Ed.), Proceedings of the 59th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences (pp. 3070-3079). Article 0299 (Proceedings of the Annual Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences). University of Hawaii at Manoa. https://hdl.handle.net/10125/111764

Dang, Jinming ; Gong, Xiang ; Cheung, Christy M. K. et al. / Blessing or Curse? How Peer Customer Endorsement Shapes Product Ratings on Social Commerce Platforms. Proceedings of the 59th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences. editor / Tung X. Bui. University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2026. pp. 3070-3079 (Proceedings of the Annual Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences).

@inproceedings{e88983b0c6ce40eb93a97ddb0f4fe773,

title = "Blessing or Curse? How Peer Customer Endorsement Shapes Product Ratings on Social Commerce Platforms",

abstract = "Influential celebrity endorsement (ICE) and peer customer endorsement (PCE) are two widely adopted promotional strategies in social commerce. Prior literature has primarily examined the effect of ICE, largely overlooking the effect of PCE. Drawing on social influence theory, we investigate how PCE affects subsequent product ratings. On the one hand, PCE could increase product ratings by providing an alternative information source to reduce the product uncertainty (i.e., informational social influence). On the other hand, PCE may decrease product ratings by shaping high pre-purchase expectation and negative post-purchase expectation disconfirmation (i.e., normative social influence). Using a difference-in-difference approach, we find that PCE significantly decreases 9.5% of product ratings. The negative effect is more pronounced for products with higher customer engagement and insurance service. Our study contributes to research by examining how and why PCE affects product ratings. We also inform sellers to strategically manage the potential negative effects of PCE.",

keywords = "Social commerce, Social influence, Peer customer endorsement, Difference-in-difference",

author = "Jinming Dang and Xiang Gong and Cheung, {Christy M. K.} and Lee, {Matthew K. O.}",

note = "Research Unit(s) information for this publication is provided by the author(s) concerned.; 59th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences (HICSS 2026), HICSS-59 ; Conference date: 06-01-2026 Through 09-01-2026",

year = "2026",

language = "English",

series = "Proceedings of the Annual Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences",

publisher = "University of Hawaii at Manoa",

pages = "3070--3079",

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Dang, J , Gong, X, Cheung, CMK & Lee, MKO 2026, Blessing or Curse? How Peer Customer Endorsement Shapes Product Ratings on Social Commerce Platforms. in TX Bui (ed.), Proceedings of the 59th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences., 0299, Proceedings of the Annual Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences, University of Hawaii at Manoa, pp. 3070-3079, 59th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences (HICSS 2026), Maui, Hawaii, United States, 6/01/26. <https://hdl.handle.net/10125/111764>

Blessing or Curse? How Peer Customer Endorsement Shapes Product Ratings on Social Commerce Platforms. / Dang, Jinming ; Gong, Xiang; Cheung, Christy M. K. et al.
Proceedings of the 59th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences. ed. / Tung X. Bui. University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2026. p. 3070-3079 0299 (Proceedings of the Annual Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences).

Research output: Chapters, Conference Papers, Creative and Literary Works › RGC 32 - Refereed conference paper (with host publication) › peer-review

TY - GEN

T1 - Blessing or Curse? How Peer Customer Endorsement Shapes Product Ratings on Social Commerce Platforms

AU - Dang, Jinming

AU - Gong, Xiang

AU - Cheung, Christy M. K.

AU - Lee, Matthew K. O.

N1 - Research Unit(s) information for this publication is provided by the author(s) concerned.

PY - 2026

Y1 - 2026

N2 - Influential celebrity endorsement (ICE) and peer customer endorsement (PCE) are two widely adopted promotional strategies in social commerce. Prior literature has primarily examined the effect of ICE, largely overlooking the effect of PCE. Drawing on social influence theory, we investigate how PCE affects subsequent product ratings. On the one hand, PCE could increase product ratings by providing an alternative information source to reduce the product uncertainty (i.e., informational social influence). On the other hand, PCE may decrease product ratings by shaping high pre-purchase expectation and negative post-purchase expectation disconfirmation (i.e., normative social influence). Using a difference-in-difference approach, we find that PCE significantly decreases 9.5% of product ratings. The negative effect is more pronounced for products with higher customer engagement and insurance service. Our study contributes to research by examining how and why PCE affects product ratings. We also inform sellers to strategically manage the potential negative effects of PCE.

AB - Influential celebrity endorsement (ICE) and peer customer endorsement (PCE) are two widely adopted promotional strategies in social commerce. Prior literature has primarily examined the effect of ICE, largely overlooking the effect of PCE. Drawing on social influence theory, we investigate how PCE affects subsequent product ratings. On the one hand, PCE could increase product ratings by providing an alternative information source to reduce the product uncertainty (i.e., informational social influence). On the other hand, PCE may decrease product ratings by shaping high pre-purchase expectation and negative post-purchase expectation disconfirmation (i.e., normative social influence). Using a difference-in-difference approach, we find that PCE significantly decreases 9.5% of product ratings. The negative effect is more pronounced for products with higher customer engagement and insurance service. Our study contributes to research by examining how and why PCE affects product ratings. We also inform sellers to strategically manage the potential negative effects of PCE.

KW - Social commerce

KW - Social influence

KW - Peer customer endorsement

KW - Difference-in-difference

M3 - RGC 32 - Refereed conference paper (with host publication)

T3 - Proceedings of the Annual Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences

SP - 3070

EP - 3079

BT - Proceedings of the 59th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences

A2 - Bui, Tung X.

PB - University of Hawaii at Manoa

T2 - 59th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences (HICSS 2026)

Y2 - 6 January 2026 through 9 January 2026

ER -

Dang J , Gong X, Cheung CMK, Lee MKO. Blessing or Curse? How Peer Customer Endorsement Shapes Product Ratings on Social Commerce Platforms. In Bui TX, editor, Proceedings of the 59th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences. University of Hawaii at Manoa. 2026. p. 3070-3079. 0299. (Proceedings of the Annual Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences). Epub 2026 Jan 6.

Blessing or Curse? How Peer Customer Endorsement Shapes Product Ratings on Social Commerce Platforms

Abstract

Publication series

Conference

Bibliographical note

Funding

Research Keywords

Publisher's Copyright Statement

Access Output

Other Access Options

Permanent Link

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Cite this