And suddenly, the rain! When surprises shape experienced utility

Abstract

[eng] This study examines how unexpected exogenous events, labelled as suprises, affect the utility of experience goods reported in online rating systems. Using over 300,000 reviews of accommodation services listed on Booking.com, the research investigates whether online ratings capture the impact of surprises related to meteorological conditions and whether they create additional biases in service evaluation. The study finds that sudden changes in weather conditions have a significant impact on experienced utility, with the effect varying based on the direction of the surprise. Additionally, in line with the hedonic adaption theory, we find that the duration of consumption moderates the surprise effect, reducing its impact on reported utility.