Making word-of-mouth impactful: Why consumers react more to WOM about experiential than material purchases

•Consumers react more positively to WOM about experiences than objects.•WOM about experiences is perceived as more substantive.•WOM substantiveness drives the effect in the model.•A framing approach can be used to increase the impact of WOM on consumers. This paper documents evidence from five studies showing that WOM about experiential versus material purchases is superior in evoking reactions from WOM receivers that are valuable for firms (e.g., purchase intention). We find that this difference emerges from receivers’ perception that WOM about an experience (vs. material object) is more substantive (i.e., involving, meaningful). Further, we test two potential antecedents of substantive WOM: receivers’ and senders’ identification with the purchase. Mediation- and moderation-based evidence indicates that receiver-, but not sender-, identification drives substantiveness. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.