Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in
Book cover

Successful Social Media and Ecommerce Strategies in the Wine Industry pp 115–132Cite as

Palgrave Macmillan

Are Customers Having E-Conversations about Your Wine? The Importance of Online Discussion Forums as Electronic Word of Mouth for Wine Marketers

  • Chapter

Abstract

Wine purchase decisions are influenced by the experiences of other consumers and with social media, these experiences can be delivered electronically. Of these, wine discussion forums are the least understood source of unbiased wine experiences. This chapter examines online discussion forums devoted to wine and identifies their potential influence on consumer attitudes and value for wine marketers. Fifty-one online wine discussion threads were analyzed at the conversation and individual post level and their Internet visibility was compared to other winery generated/controlled sources. The results document the anatomy of online wine discussions and indicate that wine forums are a visible and potentially valuable information source for wine consumers.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD   69.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • T. Atkin and L. Thach (2012) ‘Millennial Wine Consumers: Risk Perception and Information Search’, Wine Economics & Policy, 1, 54–62.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • S. Bae and T. Lee (2011) ‘Product Type and Consumers’ Perception of Online Consumer Reviews’, Electronic Markets, 21(4), 255–266.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • N. Barber, B. Almanza, and J. Donovan (2006) ‘Motivational Factors of Gender, Income and Age on Selecting a Bottle of Wine’, International Journal of Wine Marketing, 18(1), 218–232.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • B. Bickart and R.M. Schindler (2001) ‘Internet Forums as Influential Sources of Consumer Information’, Journal of Interactive Marketing, 15(3), 31–40.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • P. Bouquet (2012) Social Media Marketing in the American and French Wine Industry in 2011, http://ablesocial.com/market-research, date accessed May 20, 2014.

    Google Scholar 

  • J. Bruwer and G. Wood (2005) ‘The Australia Online Wine-Buying Consumer: Motivational and Behavioural Perspectives’, Journal of Wine Research, 16(3), 193–211.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • P. Chen, S.Y. Wu, and J. Yoon (2004) ‘The Impact of Online Recommendations and Consumer Feedback on Sales’, International Conference on Information Systems, 58.

    Google Scholar 

  • Y. Chen and J. Xie (2008) ‘Online Consumer Review: Word of Mouth as a New Element of Marketing Communication Mix’, Management Science, 54(3), 477–492.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • H.J. Cheong and M.A. Morrison (2008) ‘Consumers’ Reliance on Product Information and Recommendations Found in UGC’, Journal of Interactive Advertising, 8(2), 38–49.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • C.M.K. Cheung and M.K.O. Lee (2012) ‘What Drives Consumers to Spread Electronic Word of Mouth in Online Consumer-Opinion Platforms’, Decision Support Systems, 53, 218–225.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • C.M.K. Cheung and D.R. Thadani (2012) ‘The Impact of Electronic Word of Mouth Communication: A Literature Analysis and Integrative Model’, Decision Support Systems, 54, 461–470.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • E. Christou and A. Nella (2012) ‘Web 2.0 and Networks in Wine Tourism: The Case Studies of greatwinecapitals.com and Wine and hospitalitynetwork.com’, in: M. Sigala, E. Christou, and U. Gretzel (eds), Social Media in Travel, Tourism and Hospitality: Theory, Practice and Cases. Surrey, UK: Ashgate Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • K. de Valck, G.H. van Bruggen, and B. Wierenga (2009) ‘Virtual Communities: A Marketing Perspective’, Decision Support Systems, 47, 185–203.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • U.M. Dholakia, R. Bagozzi, and L.K. Pearo (2004) ‘A Social Influence Model of Consumer Participation in Network and Small Group Based Virtual Communities’, International Journal of Research in Marketing, 21, 241–264.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • R. Dolan, S. Goodman, and C. Habel (2013) ‘How (and Why) Are Wineries Using Facebook for Marketing?’, Grapegrower and Winemaker, 595, 85–86.

    Google Scholar 

  • P. Dwyer (2007) ‘Measuring the Value of Electronic Word of Mouth and Its Impact in Consumer Communities’, Journal of Interactive Marketing, 21(2), 63–79.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • B.D. Gelb and S. Sundaram (2002) ‘Adapting to “Word of Mouse”’, Business Horizons, July–August, 21–25.

    Google Scholar 

  • T. Girard, R. Silverblatt, and P. Korgaonkar (2006) ‘Influence of Product Class on Preference for Shopping on the Internet’, Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 8(1), 1–21.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • R.E. Goldsmith, and D. Horowitz (2006) ‘Measuring Motivations for Online Opinion Seeking’, Journal of Interactive Advertising, 6(2), 3–14.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • C. Habel and S. Goodman (2010) ‘Part One: Establishing a Presence in Social Media—Facebook’, Australian Wine Business, 559, 106–110.

    Google Scholar 

  • C. Habel, R. Veale, and V.N. Lu (2010) ‘I Heard It through the Grapevine! Exploring Drivers of Participation in Virtual Communities’, Proceedings of the 5th AWBR International Conference, February 8–10, Auckland University, New Zealand.

    Google Scholar 

  • T. Hennig-Thurau and G. Walsh (2004) ‘Electronic Word of Mouth: Motives for and Consequences of Reading Customer Articulations on the Internet’, International Journal of Electronic Commerce, 8(2), 51–74.

    Google Scholar 

  • L.M. Higgins, M. McGarry Wolf, and M.J. Wolf (2014) ‘Technological Change in the Wine Market? The Role of QR Codes and Wine Apps in Consumer Wine Purchases’, Wine Economics and Policy, 3, 19–27.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • P. Huang, N.H. Lurie, and S. Mitra (2009) ‘Searching for Experience on the Web: An Empirical Examination of Consumer Behaviour for Search and Experience Goods’, Journal of Marketing, 73(2), 55–69.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • R.J. Jalilvand, S.S. Esfahani, and N. Samiei (2011) ‘Electronic Word of Mouth: Challenges and Opportunities’, Procedia Computer Science, 3, 42–46.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • A.C. Jeong (2003) ‘The Sequential Analysis of Group Interaction and Critical Flunking in Online Threaded Discussions’, The American Journal of Distance Education, 17(1), 25–43.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • A L. Jepsen (2006) ‘Information Search in Virtual Communities: Is It Replacing Use of Offline Communication?’, Journal of Marketing Communications, 12(4), 247–261.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • A.J. Kim (2000) Community Building on the Web: Secret Strategies for Successful Online Communities. Berkeley, CA: Addison-Wesley Longman Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • R.V. Kozinets (1999) ‘E-tribalized Marketing?: The Strategic Implications of Virtual Communities of Consumption’, European Management Journal, 17(3), 252–264.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • R.V. Kozinets (2002) ‘The Field behind the Screen: Using Netnography for Marketing Research in Online Communities’, Journal of Marketing Research, 39, 61–72.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • H. Kwak, R. Fox, and G.M. Zinkhan (2002) ‘What Products Can be Successfully Promoted and Sold via the Internet?’, Journal of Advertising Research, 42(1), 23–38.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • D.A. Laverie, W.F. Humphrey, N. Velikova, T.H. Dodd, and J.B. Wilcox (2011) ‘Building Wine Brand Communities with the Use of Social Media: A Conceptual Model’, Proceedings of the 6th AWBR International Conference, June 9–10, Bordeaux Management School, France.

    Google Scholar 

  • J. Leskovec, L.A. Adamic, and B. Huberman (2007) ‘The Dynamics of Viral Marketing’, ACM Transactions on the Web, 1(1), 5.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • A.M. Levin, I.P. Levin, and J.A. Weiler (2005) ‘A Multi-attribute Analysis of Preferences for Online and Offline Shopping: Differences across Products, Consumers and Shopping Stages’, Journal of Electronic Commerce Research, 6(4), 281–290.

    Google Scholar 

  • L. Lockshin, and A.M. Corsi (2012) ‘Consumer Behaviour for Wine 2.0: A Review since 2003 and Future Directions’, Wine Economics and Policy, 1, 2–23.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • R. Marra (2006) ‘A Review of Research Methods for Assessing Content of Computer-Mediated Discussion Forums’, Journal of Interactive Learning Research, 17(3), 243–267.

    Google Scholar 

  • B. Pan, H. Hembrooke, T. Joachims, L. Lorigo, G. Gay, and L. Granka (2007) ‘In Google We Trust: Users’ Decision on Rank, Position, and Relevance’, Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 12, 801–823.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • C. Park and T.M. Lee (2009) ‘Information Direction, Website Reputation and e-WOM Effect: A Moderating Role of Product Type’, Journal of Business Research, 62(1), 61–67.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • P. Parker (2005) ‘Reach “Ad Skippers” via Online Word of Mouth’, http://www.clickz.com/news/article.php/3551611, date accessed April 22, 2015.

    Google Scholar 

  • S. Quinton and S. Harridge-March (2010) ‘Relationships in Online Communities: The Potential for Marketers’, Journal of Research in Interactive Marketing, 4(1), 59–73.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • H. Rheingold (1993) The Virtual Community: Homesteading on the Electronic Frontier. New York: Harper Perennial.

    Google Scholar 

  • A.E. Schlosser (2005) ‘Posting versus Lurking: Communicating in a Multiple Audience Context’, Journal of Consumer Research, 32(2), 260–265.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • S. Senecal and J. Nantel (2004) ‘The Influence of Online Product Recommendations on Consumers’ Online Choices’, Journal of Retailing, 80, 159–169.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • A. Smith (2013) ‘Smartphone Ownership 2013’, Pew Internet and American life project. Pew Research Center.

    Google Scholar 

  • S. Stricker, D.A. Sumner, and R.A.E. Mueller (2003) ‘Wine on the Web in a Global Market: A Comparison of Ecommerce Readiness and Use in Australia, California and Germany’, Proceedings of the EFITA Conference, July, Debrecen, Hungary.

    Google Scholar 

  • G. Szolnoki, D. Taits, C. Hoffmann, R. Ludwig, L. Thach, R. Dolan, S. Goodman, C. Habel, S. Forbes, N. Marinelli, D. Wilson, A. Mantonakis, P. Zawada, Z. Szabo, I. Csak, C. Ritchie, S. Birch, and S. Thompson (2014) ‘A Cross-Cultural Comparison of Social Media Usage in the Wine Business’, Proceedings of the 8th AWBR International Conference, June 28–30, Geisenheim University, Germany.

    Google Scholar 

  • L. Thach (2009) ‘Wine 2.0—the Next Phase of Wine Marketing? Exploring US Winery Adoption of Wine 2.0 Components’, Journal of Wine Research, 20(2), 143–157.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • N. Velikova, J.B. Wilcox, and T.H. Dodd (2011) ‘Designing Effective Winery Websites: Marketing-Oriented versus Wine-Oriented Websites’, Proceedings of the 6th AWBR International Conference, June 9–10, Bordeaux Management School, France.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Authors
  1. David L. Dean
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Sharon L. Forbes
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Business Administration and Market Research, Geisenheim University, Germany

    Gergely Szolnoki (Senior Research Associate) (Senior Research Associate)

  2. Sonoma State University Wine Business Institute, USA

    Liz Thach (Professor of Wine Business and Management) (Professor of Wine Business and Management)

  3. Kellen Europe, Belgium

    Dani Kolb (Manager) (Manager)

Copyright information

© 2016 David L. Dean and Sharon L. Forbes

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Dean, D.L., Forbes, S.L. (2016). Are Customers Having E-Conversations about Your Wine? The Importance of Online Discussion Forums as Electronic Word of Mouth for Wine Marketers. In: Szolnoki, G., Thach, L., Kolb, D. (eds) Successful Social Media and Ecommerce Strategies in the Wine Industry. Palgrave Macmillan, New York. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137602985_7

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation