(Paul W. Fombelle, Sterling A. Bone and Katherine N. Lemon)

This work investigates consumer idea-sharing behavior in online communities in which consumers volunteer their ideas on how a brand can improve its offerings. The focus is on examining the influence of a firm’s reply to consumer-generated ideas on consumers’ self-perceptions of face and, in turn, consumers’ tendency to return in the future with more ideas. Across three studies, this research advances face theory by demonstrating that consumer perceptions of face enhancement and face threat mediate the impact of firm acknowledgment on idea-sharing intentions and behavior. Furthermore, this study shows that a firm’s acknowledgment influences consumers’ tendency to return in the future with more ideas. As not all consumer ideas can be used, this study also explores two potential ways firms can respond to consumers without jeopardizing their face perceptions: creating a group identity and communicating an excuse. Last, this research shows the impact of a public versus private firm acknowledgment of ideas on both the consumers’ perceptions of face and future idea-sharing behaviors.