Sarah Moore

Area of Study / Keywords

marketing consumer behaviour language word of mouth online reviews

---

Research

The primary focus of my research is on communication and language, both among consumers and between consumers and firms. For communication among consumers, I examine online word-of-mouth (WOM), or stories consumers tell about experiences with products, brands, or services. Here, I explore how consumers are influenced by sending or receiving WOM that contains different linguistic content (e.g., explanations, swearwords). For communication between firms and consumers, I investigate how the language used in questions, advertising, and consumer-service interactions impacts consumers (e.g., imperatives, pronouns).

In a second area of research, I investigate consumer behaviour in situations that are underexplored in the literature, but common in everyday life. For example, I examine what happens when out-of-stock products restrict consumers’ choice freedoms, or when choices must be made not for the self, but for others. 

A Spotlight on Research at the Alberta School of Business

How should firms talk to customers?

My findings tell us...

• Most firm agents currently say to customers "How can WE help You?"
• Instead, firm agents should say to customers "How can I help?"
• When firm agents say "I", customers are more satisfied and purchase more.

Feyzan Karabulut, Sarah G. Moore, Paul R. Messinger

Journal of the Association for Consumer Research. 2023 April; 8 (2):153-164

---

Katherine C. Lafreniere, Sarah G. Moore, Robert R. Fisher

Journal of Marketing Research. 2022 January; 59 (5):908–925

---

Sarah G. Moore, Katherine C. Lafreniere

Consumer Psychology Review. 2020 January; 10.1002/arcp.1055

---

MIT Sloan Management Review. 2019 January;

---

Journal of Marketing Research. 2018 January; 10.1509/jmr.16.0118

---

Journal of Consumer Research. 2015 January; 10.1093/jcr/ucv003

---

Journal of Consumer Research. 2012 January; 10.1086/661891

---

View additional publications