Right on cue? Category-switching in online marketplaces

• 成果类型: Article; Early Access
• 署名作者: Taeuscher, Karl; Zhao, Eric Yanfei; Lounsbury, Michael
• 署名单位: University of Manchester; Alliance Manchester Business School; University of Oxford; University of Alberta
• 刊物名称: STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT JOURNAL
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0143-2095
• DOI: 10.1002/smj.70018
• 发表日期: 2025
• 关键词: CATEGORIES; expectation violations; Online marketplaces; problemistic search; strategic categorization

摘要

Research Summary When and why do producers change the categorization of their offerings? Prior categorization research assumes that producers engage in ongoing efforts to proactively optimize their categorical positioning, but this assumption may not hold for many producers due to their limited attentional capacity. Our theoretical account instead highlights the role of expectation violation cues-salient pieces of information indicating a violation of audience expectations-as triggers that can lead producers to revise their category choice. Our longitudinal study of 84,667 Airbnb hosts' categorization choices finds that negative customer reviews-an important form of expectation violation cue-significantly increase the likelihood of category-switching, particularly in categories with heterogeneous expectations. Our study suggests that many producers might be less proactive about their category choices than previous research assumed.Managerial Summary How businesses categorize their products and services influences their commercial success; yet, there exists very limited understanding of when, why, and how businesses revise their category choices. Our study, which tracked the category choices of over 80,000 Airbnb hosts over time, reveals that Airbnb hosts most commonly switch categories after receiving negative customer reviews, particularly when a review indicates that the accommodation did not meet customer expectations and if the previously chosen category lacks a clearly defined set of expected features. When switching categories, hosts tend to choose categories that are relatively similar to their prior choices and that seem to accommodate a wide variety of offerings. These patterns suggest that many businesses might be less proactive about their category choices than previous research assumed.