Increasingly, consumers interact through the Internet to share their knowledge, experiences, and opinions.
Consequently, ‘word-of-mouse’ has become a significant market force that influences consumer decision-making.
Onthebasisofextensivequantitativeandqualitativeresearch,theauthorssketchhowconsumersmakeuseof
virtual communities as social and information networks, and how this affects their decision-making processes.We
present three studies that address (i) determinants and effects of virtual community influence on the consumer
decision process; (ii) virtual community participation patterns; and (iii) discussion practices of the most active
community members. Key implications for managers, marketers, and market researchers are discussed.