Impact of Social Networks on SM Complaint Behaviour and Channel Choice: A Cross-cultural Study

As the world gradually becomes more digital, and the use of Social Media increases, consumers gain access to information on brands, companies, and other customers’ experiences within the reach of a click. Hence, the way consumers engage with brands is changing. Consumers interact with products and brands at different touchpoints, namely the post-purchase stage, which can be highly influenced by advocacy. Other people’s opinions and sentiments influence the way individuals perceive and evaluate brands. In the context of Social Media, this is observed in the form of user-generated content and word of mouth, which is also reflected in the way customers complain. This study aims at collecting relevant insights to help explain the complex phenomenon of online consumer behaviour by focusing on a specific form of behaviour – complaining. More specifically, this work will shed some light on how social online clusters influence channel choice and aggressiveness in consumers’ decision to complain, as a result of recurrent service failures.