Positive and negative word of mouth in the United States

Abstract

Word of mouth is a process by which consumers transmit positive or negative sentiment to other consumers about a business. While this process has long been recognized as a type of promotion for businesses, the value of word of mouth is questionable. This study will examine the various correlates of word of mouth to demographic variables, including the role of the trust of business owners. Education level, region of residence, and income level were found to be significant predictors of positive word of mouth. Although the results generally suggest that the majority of respondents do not engage in word of mouth, there are valuable insights to be learned.