The effects of warmth-oriented and competence-oriented service recovery messages on observers on online platforms

•Warmth-oriented responses are more likely to increase observers’ perceptions.•Perceptions mediate the effect of service recovery strategy on outcome variables.•The effect of service recovery on perception depends on relationship orientation. The role of fellow customers in webcare remains underexplored in the literature. To address this gap, the current study examines how observers perceive and react to a retailer’s responses to online consumer complaints. Specifically, this work examines reactions to two service recovery strategies rooted in different dimensions of social cognition: warmth-oriented responses, which emphasize a retailer’s friendliness; and competence-oriented responses, which emphasize a retailer’s knowledge about products/services. In addition, the moderating role of the observer’s relationship orientation is examined. Results suggest that, compared to competence-oriented messages, warmth-oriented service recovery messages are more likely to enhance observers’ service perceptions in the online environment, leading to satisfaction with service recovery efforts and positive word-of-mouth intentions (Study 1). Furthermore, relationship orientation serves as a boundary condition in the effect of service recovery strategy on observers’ service perceptions (Study 2).