Exploring the impact of inter-text space on consumer reactions in firm-customer communication
Author(s)
Date Issued
2026
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Journal
ISSN
0148-2963
1873-7978
Citation
Journal of Business Research, 2026, vol. 210, article no. 116111.
Type
Peer Reviewed Journal Article
Abstract
Sincerity is crucial to successful firm-customer communication. This research examines the impact of visual cues in text-based firm-customer communications on consumers’ sincerity perception, especially the inter-text space, an essential yet under-researched visual element. Specifically, eight studies demonstrate that large inter-text space in text-based communication decreases the perceived sincerity of the company. This effect is driven by perceived hollowness of a text. Furthermore, the effect of inter-text space on sincerity perception is weakened when a text is very long and when consumers focus their attention on the text content. We further show that a large inter-text space can lead to unfavorable consumer responses, such as a lower intention to forgive service failure or lower satisfaction. The findings of the present work contribute to the research on visual marketing and firm-customer communication and offer a potential strategy for managers to improve firm-customer interactions by utilizing effective visual design in text-based communication.
Loading...
Availability at HKSYU Library
