When social media sharing backfires: how early sharing intention shapes divergent consumer choices

Previous studies mainly investigated consumption experience sharing on social media that positively affects consumer decisions. However, these studies only focused on the traditional consumer decision process of purchase-experience-share, without considering the important issue that the motivation to share can arise even before purchase. Therefore, to fill this research gap, the present study examined the effect of early sharing intention on consumer choices in the context of a friend’s consumption experience shared on social media. Results of three studies show that early sharing intention increases consumers’ motivation to express their uniqueness, leading to divergent consumer choices. This effect is weakened when the friend shares products from popular brands. In conclusion, this study challenges the predominant view that consumption experiences shared on social media are universally positive and provides managerial implications for social media marketing.