Seize the Day: How Online Retailers Should Respond to Positive Reviews

Research on online retailer–customer interactions has extensively focused on how to turn negative reviews into marketing wins. By contrast, few prior studies have investigated how retailers should best respond to positive reviews. The current study aims to fill this gap. Drawing on interpersonal relationship research into capitalizing on positive experience, together with reinforcement effect theory and automatic behavioral priming theory, this study explores how retailers should respond to positive reviews to drive consumer repurchase intention. Two laboratory experiments reveal that an active–constructive response in a friendly communication style increases consumer repurchase intention, and consumer positive affect mediates this process. Our findings provide new theoretical insights and useful guidance for retailers on designing effective online communication strategies for consumers.