Product, services and technology review blogs : a proposed model to explain consumer scepticism

Abstract

While much research has been conducted on consumer skepticism about advertising, limited attention has been focused on the relationship between gender and scepticism. As the Internet and new technologies continuously transform corporate communications, the relationship between gender and scepticism in new media such as the blogosphere begs further research. This article focuses on consumer scepticism of blogs that review products, services and technologies. Demographic variables – and particularly gender – are commonly employed to segment target audiences in an attempt to fit appeals specifically directed at males or females, or both. This article investigates three associated relationships: first, when gender is a significant predictor of consumer scepticism of blogs; second, when a relationship exists between scepticism as a predictor of the frequency of blogs accessed; and lastly, when scepticism is a predictor of the number of blogs visited. Data from Australia and South Africa provide the findings and offer guidance to practitioners for their new media selection and gender-based communication messages.