Word of Mouth Intentions Scale

What it measures

Measures consumer intentions to engage in positive or negative word-of-mouth behaviour about a service provider or brand. Part of Zeithaml et al.'s behavioural intentions battery, which also includes loyalty, switching, paying more, and complaining intentions. WOM is the most widely measured behavioural consequence in service marketing.

Response format

Likert (1–7, strongly disagree to strongly agree)

Scale items

• I would say positive things about [company/brand] to other people.
• I would recommend [company/brand] to someone who seeks my advice.
• I would encourage friends and relatives to do business with [company/brand].
• I would suggest [company/brand] to people I know who are looking for products/services in this category.

Full scale items shown. Always cite the original source when using this scale in research.

Usage notes & scoring

Score = mean of all items. Higher = stronger positive WOM intention. Widely used as an outcome variable in service quality, satisfaction, and brand attitude studies. Electronic WOM (eWOM) intentions are increasingly measured separately given the distinct nature of online recommendation behaviour.

Recommended companion scales

Citation

Zeithaml, V.A., Berry, L.L., & Parasuraman, A. (1996). The behavioral consequences of service quality. Journal of Marketing, 60(2), 31–46.

Keywords