Managerial responses to online communication: The role of mimicry in affecting third-party observers’ purchase intentions

•Other consumers are influenced by firm mimicry of customer written communications.•Firm mimicry of online customer reviews increases third-party attentiveness & trust.•Firm mimicry of online customer reviews increases third-party purchase intentions.•Real-world data shows that mimicry increases the star ratings of subsequent reviews. In interpersonal communication, humans tend to mimic one another verbally and non-verbally, producing beneficial outcomes for the mimicker. The growth in online communication has moved many manager-customer interactions from in-person to a virtual environment visible to others. Thus, we investigate whether and how managers’ conscious mimicking of wording from consumers’ online reviews affects the purchase intentions of third-party readers of the exchange. We propose that mimicking is a signal of the firm’s attentiveness that increases trust, resulting in increased purchase intentions. A series of experimental studies support this hypothesis under varying conditions, such as whether the valence of the customer’s communication is positive or negative, or the frequency of the use of mimicry varies. An examination of field data finds that the use of mimicry increases the ratings of subsequent reviews. Thus, we provide managers with a straightforward tool that can increase consumer trust, purchase intentions, and subsequent review ratings.