Hey Host, Do Communicate with Guests:

Empirical Evidence from Airbnb

Despite a wide practice of e-market sellers communicating with their consumers, little attention is given to how the practice affects consumers’ purchase decision process. Based on the text analysis of 10,479 accommodation cases obtained from Airbnb, we empirically examine the relationship between the sellers’ communication efforts and the wish-listing behaviors of guests. We find that the wish-listing is positively associated with the communication efforts of a host, such as (1) the feedback volume, (2) tailored messages and personalized contents, and (3) contingent responses to guest reviews. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of the study.