TITLE:
The Impact of Heuristic Cues on User Purchase Decisions in Sharing-Based Short-Term Rental Platforms
AUTHORS:
Menghan Huo, Li Li, Yixuan Yao
KEYWORDS:
Heuristic Cues, Sharing-Based Short-Term Rentals, Consumer Purchase Decisions
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Social Sciences,
Vol.13 No.9,
September
30,
2025
ABSTRACT: Based on data from Airbnb, this study employs the Heuristic-Systematic Model as its theoretical framework. Utilizing facial recognition technology, we extract characteristic variables and construct a multiple linear regression model for empirical testing, aiming to explore the impact of heuristic cues on consumer purchase decisions in sharing-based short-term rental platforms. The main findings are as follows: the attractiveness score of the host’s profile photo, stereotypical impressions, and word-of-mouth reputation all positively influence consumer purchase decisions, while the blurriness of the host’s profile photo negatively affects them. These results provide valuable insights for sharing economy platforms and hosts to optimize information presentation and enhance transaction conversion rates.