Social processes underlying the adoption of products: An omission

Abstract

This paper focuses on one aspect of the social interaction affecting the adoption of products: conversations between product users. When a product is successful, this interaction will increase as users accumulate. These interactions are driven by common interest and can widen users’ knowledge and appreciation of the product. This may raise the volume and persuasiveness of recommendations made to nonusers. Despite this, inter-user conversations are largely ignored in the reported research on the adoption of products.