The effects of sensory interaction and sensory conflict on consumer online review rating behavior

It’s a major challenge for marketers to combine various sensory information to create a synergistic effect of ‘1 + 1 > 2’. However, there is a lack of research on sensory synergy. This study attempts to quantitatively confirm the existence of sensory interaction and sensory conflict and to investigate their effects on consumer behavior. To measure the effect of sensory synergy, we use text classification and sentiment analysis methods to analyze online restaurant reviews. The results show both have significant effects on consumer rating behavior. Specifically, in sensory interaction, the more negative sensory information there is, the lower the consumer rating. However, it is not the case that the more positive sensory information, the higher the consumer rating, but rather it should be kept at an appropriate level. In addition, positive sensory sentiment can compensate for the negative in sensory conflict, both within and across senses. These findings can help marketers implement sensory marketing.