Abstract
Ratings are exceedingly important in users’ adoption of mobile apps. Previous research has demonstrated the influence of valence, volume, and variance of ratings on sales or customer behavior; however, a largely under investigated issue is whether app’s ratings distribution matters to users. This study seeks to explore the effect of the shape of ratings distribution and related factors on users’ purchase behavior on app stores. Our investigation started by identifying the common ratings distribution shapes in the app store. Then, we applied a discrete choice experiment to examine the likelihood of people paying for apps under specific situations relating to ratings distribution. We used multinomial logit regression to model participants’ choice in the simulated app store. The results showed that mobile user’s choice could be influenced by ratings distribution shapes and the number of ratings, but not their regulatory focus. Moreover, app store visit frequency was found to moderate the influence of ratings distribution shapes. Our research reveals a new understanding of ratings distribution shapes in affecting mobile users’ purchasing decision. Implications for both app store operators and app developers are discussed.