Project – The Influence of Artificial Intelligence-Generated Product Reviews on Consumer Purchase Decisions Among Online Shoppers on Jumia Nigeria.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Research Topic: THE INFLUENCE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE-GENERATED PRODUCT REVIEWS ON CONSUMER PURCHASE DECISIONS AMONG ONLINE SHOPPERS ON JUMIA NIGERIA

1.1 Background to the Study

The rapid advancement of information and communication technology has significantly transformed the global business environment, particularly in the areas of marketing, retailing and consumer purchasing behaviour. The development of electronic commerce has changed the traditional relationship between sellers and buyers by allowing consumers to search for products, compare prices, examine product descriptions and complete purchases through internet-based platforms. Unlike traditional shopping, where consumers can physically inspect products before making purchasing decisions, online shopping requires consumers to depend largely on digital information provided by sellers, manufacturers and other customers. Product descriptions, photographs, ratings and online reviews have therefore become important sources of information that influence consumers’ perceptions and purchasing decisions. The increasing dependence on digital information has also created opportunities for artificial intelligence (AI) to support online marketing and consumer communication. According to Davenport, Guha, Grewal and Bressgott (2020), artificial intelligence is transforming marketing activities by improving the ability of organisations to analyse information, understand consumer preferences and deliver personalised experiences. Consequently, the integration of artificial intelligence into electronic commerce has created new possibilities for generating product information and influencing consumer purchase decisions.

Artificial intelligence refers to the development of computer systems capable of performing tasks that traditionally require human intelligence, including learning, reasoning, language processing, information analysis and content generation. One important development in this area is generative artificial intelligence, which can produce written content, images, summaries and other forms of information based on available data and user instructions. In electronic commerce, generative AI can be applied to develop product descriptions, respond to customer enquiries, summarise customer feedback and generate product-related reviews. Artificial intelligence-generated product reviews refer to product evaluation content created or substantially produced by AI systems rather than written entirely by individual human consumers. Such reviews may be generated from product specifications, customer feedback, previous reviews and other available product information. They are intended to provide shoppers with accessible information about product features, performance, advantages and possible limitations. However, the use of AI-generated reviews also raises questions concerning information accuracy, authenticity, transparency and consumer trust. Davenport et al. (2020) explain that artificial intelligence is creating new opportunities for marketing while also presenting challenges relating to the reliability and ethical use of AI-generated information.

Online product reviews have become an important component of electronic commerce because they provide consumers with information about the experiences and opinions of other individuals who have purchased or used particular products. Consumers frequently examine product reviews to understand product quality, durability, functionality, price value and customer satisfaction before making purchasing decisions. Such reviews help reduce information uncertainty because online shoppers cannot always physically examine products before completing transactions. They also provide a form of electronic word-of-mouth communication through which consumers share product experiences and influence the opinions of potential buyers. Chevalier and Mayzlin (2006) established that online consumer reviews have a significant relationship with product sales, demonstrating that customer-generated information can influence market outcomes. Similarly, Mudambi and Schuff (2010) found that the perceived helpfulness of online reviews is influenced by factors such as review extremity and product type. These findings demonstrate that product reviews are not merely supplementary information but important elements of consumer decision-making in online marketplaces. The emergence of AI-generated product reviews therefore introduces a new dimension to the existing relationship between online information and consumer purchasing behaviour.

The growing use of artificial intelligence in electronic commerce has created a shift from conventional customer-generated reviews towards automated review generation and summarisation. AI-generated product reviews may assist consumers by processing large volumes of product information and presenting important product characteristics in a concise and organised manner. This may reduce the time and effort required to examine numerous individual reviews, particularly when consumers are comparing several products within the same category. AI-generated reviews may also identify recurring customer concerns, summarise positive and negative feedback and present information in a format that is easier to understand. Nevertheless, the effectiveness of such reviews depends on the quality of the information used, the accuracy of the AI system and the extent to which consumers consider the generated content reliable. Lei and Liu (2025), in their study titled When AI Becomes a Shopping Advisor: A Study on the Impact of Generative AI Review on Consumer Purchase Decision, found that the quality, emotional resonance, length and credibility of generative AI reviews positively influence consumer purchase decisions, with perceived usefulness playing an important mediating role. This demonstrates the growing relevance of AI-generated product reviews in contemporary consumer decision-making.

Consumer purchase decisions involve the processes through which individuals recognise their needs, search for information, evaluate available alternatives and select products or services for purchase. In online shopping environments, these decisions are influenced by several factors, including product price, perceived quality, brand reputation, product ratings, customer reviews, delivery arrangements and trust in the online marketplace. Since consumers cannot always physically inspect products before purchasing them online, they often depend on available digital information to assess whether a product will satisfy their expectations. Product reviews can therefore influence the evaluation of alternatives by providing information that helps consumers compare different products and assess possible benefits and risks. Filieri (2015) explains that the diagnosticity of online reviews, particularly their ability to provide useful information for evaluating products, plays an important role in determining their perceived usefulness to consumers. Similarly, Erkan and Evans (2016) demonstrate that information quality, credibility and information adoption are important factors influencing consumers’ purchase intentions through electronic word-of-mouth. Consequently, AI-generated product reviews may influence consumer purchase decisions through their perceived credibility, usefulness, accuracy and ability to reduce uncertainty during online shopping.

In Nigeria, the growth of internet access, digital payment systems and electronic retail platforms has contributed to the expansion of online shopping and changing consumer purchasing patterns. Consumers increasingly use digital marketplaces to purchase electronic devices, fashion products, household appliances, beauty products and other consumer goods. One of the major electronic commerce platforms operating in the country is Jumia Nigeria, which provides an online marketplace where consumers can explore products from different sellers, compare available alternatives, examine ratings and reviews and place orders electronically. Product reviews and ratings are particularly important in this environment because they provide additional information that may assist shoppers in evaluating products offered by different sellers. Jumia’s marketplace terms recognise the use of its review function to facilitate buyer reviews and prohibit inaccurate, inauthentic or fake reviews, demonstrating the importance of review authenticity within its online marketplace. The emergence of generative AI creates additional concerns about how consumers distinguish genuine customer experiences from AI-generated product evaluations and how such information affects their confidence in purchasing products online (Jumia Nigeria, n.d.). Furthermore, Visa (2026) reported that 88% of surveyed Nigerian consumers had used AI to assist with shopping, including checking reviews or product ratings, indicating the growing relevance of artificial intelligence in the country’s digital shopping environment.

Despite the potential benefits of AI-generated product reviews, their increasing application in online commerce raises important concerns regarding authenticity, credibility and consumer trust. Although AI-generated reviews may provide detailed and convenient product information, consumers may question whether such reviews accurately represent actual product experiences or merely reproduce information obtained from existing sources. Inaccurate, exaggerated or misleading AI-generated reviews may create unrealistic expectations and influence consumers to purchase products that do not meet their needs. On the other hand, well-structured and reliable AI-generated reviews may improve product understanding, simplify information processing and support more informed purchasing decisions. Eze (2025), in a study examining AI-generated customer reviews and purchase intention among Nigerian e-commerce users, found that AI-generated reviews were perceived as less genuine than human-written reviews, while perceived authenticity significantly predicted purchase intention. Similarly, Lei and Liu (2025) established that the credibility and usefulness of generative AI reviews are important to consumer purchase decisions. These findings demonstrate that the influence of AI-generated product reviews may depend on how consumers perceive their authenticity, credibility, quality and usefulness. It is against this background that this study seeks to examine the influence of artificial intelligence-generated product reviews on consumer purchase decisions among online shoppers on Jumia Nigeria.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

The increasing use of artificial intelligence in electronic commerce has introduced new ways of generating and presenting product information to online shoppers. Although AI-generated product reviews may help consumers understand product features, compare alternatives and make purchasing decisions more efficiently, concerns have emerged regarding their accuracy, authenticity and credibility. Unlike traditional customer-generated reviews, which are generally expected to reflect individual purchasing and usage experiences, AI-generated reviews may be produced by analysing existing information, product descriptions and previously available customer feedback. This creates the possibility that consumers may rely on information that does not necessarily represent genuine product experiences. Where AI-generated reviews contain exaggerated claims, inaccurate descriptions or misleading evaluations, they may influence consumers to make inappropriate purchasing decisions. This situation raises concerns about the reliability of AI-generated product information and its implications for consumer decision-making in online marketplaces. Lei and Liu (2025) identify review quality, credibility and perceived usefulness as important factors influencing consumer decisions when exposed to generative AI reviews.

Another problem relates to the credibility and authenticity of AI-generated product reviews. Online shoppers generally depend on reviews to obtain information about product quality, durability, performance and customer satisfaction before making purchases. However, the increasing ability of artificial intelligence to generate human-like written content may make it difficult for consumers to distinguish between genuine customer experiences and artificially generated evaluations. This may weaken consumer confidence in online product information, particularly where the source of a review is not clearly disclosed. In some situations, consumers may accept AI-generated reviews as genuine customer opinions without understanding how the information was produced. Conversely, shoppers who are aware that reviews are generated by artificial intelligence may question their reliability and become reluctant to depend on them when making purchasing decisions. Eze (2025), in a study involving Nigerian e-commerce users, found that AI-generated reviews were perceived as less genuine than human-written reviews and that perceived authenticity significantly influenced purchase intention. This raises concerns about the extent to which AI-generated product reviews can be trusted by online shoppers in Nigeria.

Furthermore, the increasing use of AI-generated product reviews may influence the way consumers evaluate product alternatives and make final purchasing decisions. Online shoppers are often exposed to numerous product descriptions, ratings, customer comments and promotional messages, making it difficult to identify the most useful information. Although AI-generated reviews may simplify this process by presenting product information in a summarised and organised format, they may also influence consumers through incomplete information, selective presentation of product features or inaccurate assessments. Consumers who rely excessively on such reviews may overlook other important factors, including actual customer experiences, product specifications, seller reputation and product ratings. This may result in purchasing decisions that are based more on the presentation of information than on a balanced evaluation of available product evidence. Filieri (2015) emphasises that information quality and diagnosticity are important in determining whether consumers consider online reviews useful and adopt them in their decision-making process.

Despite the growing application of artificial intelligence in digital commerce, there remains a need to understand its specific influence on consumer purchase decisions among online shoppers on Jumia Nigeria. Although previous studies have examined online customer reviews, electronic word-of-mouth and the emerging influence of generative AI reviews, limited context-specific evidence explains how AI-generated product reviews influence the purchasing decisions of Nigerian consumers using Jumia. In particular, questions remain concerning the influence of review quality, credibility, perceived usefulness and transparency on consumers’ decisions to purchase products. Jumia’s marketplace terms emphasise the importance of truthful and authentic product reviews, but the growing sophistication of AI-generated content creates additional challenges for consumer assessment and marketplace trust (Jumia Nigeria, n.d.). Therefore, this study seeks to investigate the influence of artificial intelligence-generated product reviews on consumer purchase decisions among online shoppers on Jumia Nigeria.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

The main objective of this study is to examine the influence of artificial intelligence-generated product reviews on consumer purchase decisions among online shoppers on Jumia Nigeria.

The specific objectives are to:

1. Examine the influence of the quality of AI-generated product reviews on consumer purchase decisions among online shoppers on Jumia Nigeria.

2. Determine the influence of the credibility and authenticity of AI-generated product reviews on consumer purchase decisions among online shoppers on Jumia Nigeria.

3. Assess the influence of the perceived usefulness of AI-generated product reviews on consumer purchase decisions among online shoppers on Jumia Nigeria.

4. Examine the influence of transparency and disclosure of AI-generated product reviews on consumer purchase decisions among online shoppers on Jumia Nigeria.

1.4 Research Questions

The following research questions will guide the study:

1. How does the quality of AI-generated product reviews influence consumer purchase decisions among online shoppers on Jumia Nigeria?

2. To what extent do the credibility and authenticity of AI-generated product reviews influence consumer purchase decisions among online shoppers on Jumia Nigeria?

3. How does the perceived usefulness of AI-generated product reviews influence consumer purchase decisions among online shoppers on Jumia Nigeria?

4. To what extent does the transparency and disclosure of AI-generated product reviews influence consumer purchase decisions among online shoppers on Jumia Nigeria?

1.5 Research Hypothesis

The following null hypothesis will be tested in the study:

H₀: Artificial intelligence-generated product reviews have no significant influence on consumer purchase decisions among online shoppers on Jumia Nigeria.

1.6 Significance of the Study

This study will be significant to the following groups:

Online Shoppers and Consumers

The study will help online shoppers understand how AI-generated product reviews can influence their purchasing decisions. It will create awareness of the importance of examining the credibility, accuracy and authenticity of online product information before making purchases. The findings will encourage consumers to develop critical evaluation skills and avoid making purchasing decisions solely on the basis of artificially generated product reviews.

Jumia Nigeria Management

The study will provide useful information to Jumia Nigeria management on the possible implications of AI-generated product reviews for consumer confidence and purchasing behaviour. It will help the organisation understand the importance of maintaining reliable product information, promoting review authenticity and protecting consumers from misleading product evaluations. The findings may also assist in improving review monitoring practices and strengthening consumer trust in the marketplace.

Online Sellers and Retailers

The study will benefit online sellers and retailers by providing insights into how AI-generated product reviews may influence consumers’ perceptions of their products. It will encourage sellers to provide accurate product descriptions, maintain transparency and avoid misleading promotional practices. The findings may also help retailers understand the importance of credible product information in attracting and retaining online customers.

Marketing Professionals

The study will be useful to marketing professionals because it will provide information on the emerging role of artificial intelligence in digital marketing and consumer communication. It will help marketing practitioners understand how AI-generated product reviews influence consumer perceptions, product evaluations and purchasing decisions. The findings may also guide the responsible application of artificial intelligence in online marketing strategies.

Government and Regulatory Authorities

The study will provide useful information to regulatory institutions responsible for consumer protection and digital commerce in Nigeria. It will highlight the need to promote transparency, authenticity and accountability in the use of AI-generated information within online marketplaces. The findings may assist regulatory authorities in developing appropriate guidelines for the disclosure and monitoring of AI-generated product reviews.

Researchers and Students

The study will serve as a useful academic reference for students and researchers interested in artificial intelligence, electronic commerce, digital marketing, consumer behaviour and online purchasing decisions. It will contribute to existing literature by providing insights into the relationship between AI-generated product reviews and consumer purchasing behaviour within the Nigerian e-commerce environment.

1.7 Scope of the Study

The study focuses on the influence of artificial intelligence-generated product reviews on consumer purchase decisions among online shoppers on Jumia Nigeria.

The content scope covers four major dimensions of AI-generated product reviews: review quality, review credibility and authenticity, perceived usefulness, and transparency and disclosure. It examines how these factors influence consumers’ evaluation of products and their decisions to purchase products through online shopping platforms.

The geographical scope is Nigeria, with particular reference to Jumia Nigeria. The population of interest comprises online shoppers who use Jumia Nigeria and have encountered or have relevant awareness of AI-generated product reviews when evaluating products.

1.8 Limitations of the Study

The study may encounter certain limitations during the process of data collection and analysis. One possible limitation is the difficulty some respondents may experience in distinguishing AI-generated product reviews from reviews written by actual customers. This may affect their ability to provide accurate information about their experiences.

Another limitation may be the reluctance of some respondents to provide detailed information about their online purchasing behaviour and the extent to which product reviews influence their decisions.

Time and financial constraints may also affect the researcher’s ability to reach a wider population of online shoppers across Nigeria. Furthermore, access to information concerning the internal review management practices of Jumia Nigeria may be limited.

However, these challenges will be addressed through appropriate research procedures, clear explanations of the study’s purpose and the use of relevant information obtained from respondents and available documentary sources.

1.9 Operational Definition of Terms

Artificial Intelligence (AI): The development of computer systems capable of performing tasks that normally require human intelligence, including learning, reasoning, language processing, information analysis and content generation.

AI-Generated Product Reviews: Product evaluation content created or substantially produced by artificial intelligence systems using available product information, customer feedback, product specifications or other relevant data.

Product Reviews: Written evaluations, opinions and assessments of products that provide information about their quality, performance, features, durability and usefulness.

Consumer Purchase Decisions: The choices and actions taken by consumers when selecting and purchasing products after evaluating available information and alternatives.

Online Shoppers: Individuals who use internet-based platforms to search for, evaluate and purchase goods and services.

Jumia Nigeria: An electronic commerce marketplace operating in Nigeria that connects online shoppers with sellers offering different categories of products.

Review Quality: The extent to which AI-generated product reviews provide accurate, relevant, detailed and understandable information about a product.

Review Credibility: The extent to which consumers perceive AI-generated product reviews as believable, reliable and trustworthy.

Review Authenticity: The extent to which product reviews are perceived as genuine, truthful and representative of actual product information or experiences.

Perceived Usefulness: The degree to which consumers believe that AI-generated product reviews provide valuable information that assists them in evaluating products and making purchasing decisions.

Transparency and Disclosure: The extent to which consumers are informed about the use of artificial intelligence in producing or presenting product reviews.

Project – The Influence of Artificial Intelligence-Generated Product Reviews on Consumer Purchase Decisions Among Online Shoppers on Jumia Nigeria.