Third-Party Product Reviews (TPPRs) are neutral (as far as the producers' interests are concerned) and consumer-orientated product tests that are carried out by experts. The reviews are published in special interest magazines like PC-World, Runner's World, Decanter or Wine Advocate and on the magazines' web pages respectively. Market observations provide strong evidence that Third-Party Product Reviews (TPPRs) significantly influence the success or failure of the products evaluated. Apart from purely descriptive contributions, however, there have not been any studies so far that examine the impact of such test information on purchase behaviour. This work aims at diminishing this gap in marketing research by theoretically and experimentally studying the relevance or TPPRs for product choice decisions on the one hand and for perceived quality, perceived value and purchase intentions on the other hand.

Wolfgang Ziniel completed his doctoral thesis as a research assistant under the supervision of Prof. Reinhold Hatzinger at the Vienna University of Economics and Business. Currently he works in the field of industry and structure analyses and retail research at the Austrian Institute for SME Research in Vienna.

Definition of Third-Party Product Reviews (TPPRs).- Theories Explaining TPPR Effects on Consumer Behaviour.- Perceived Quality Research.- Customer Value.- Empirical Approach and Conceptual Models.- Rasch Modelling and Scale Development.- TPPR and the Product Choice Progress.- TPPR, Quality, Purchase Intentions and Value.