In their recent academic paper, “How Texts Confuse Online Buyers: Quantifying Text Quality of Online Product Descriptions,” researchers from San José State University’s Lucas College, Ming Zhou and Shaonan Tian, alongside Yang Sun from Park University, dive deep into the ways product descriptions can make or break consumer engagement and online sales. This study is a prime example of applied research with direct industry impact, offering actionable insights for e-commerce platforms and retailers.
What began as a conversation with Mr. Woody Hunt, the founder of a local Amazon service company, has evolved into a powerful exploration of how language influences buyer behavior. Through extensive interviews with overseas manufacturers and leveraging Amazon’s professional analytics system, the researchers were able to assess how native versus non-native English speakers’ descriptions shape consumer engagement. The research highlights that more natural, relatable product descriptions (typically from native speakers) drive higher sales, while more mechanical, non-native descriptions often fall flat.
By identifying ten key linguistic differences between native and non-native styles, these researchers are delivering tangible outcomes that can help retailers and marketers fine-tune their messaging. Moreover, their findings extend beyond retail: the team uncovered a critical flaw in current AI content detection algorithms, which often misidentify non-native writing as AI-generated. This discovery holds the potential to improve content authenticity checks across various platforms, including social media, e-commerce, and content marketing.
By applying cutting-edge machine learning techniques to real-world data, this research is more than theoretical. It directly addresses industry needs, offering practical solutions that can enhance e-commerce success and improve the accuracy of AI-driven systems. This project stands as a testament to how academic research can have a direct and meaningful impact on business operations in today’s digital economy.
Ming Zhou, professor at the School of Global Innovation & Leadership, and Shaonan Tian, associate professor in Business Analytics, teach at the Lucas College and Graduate School of Business at San José State University.
Our Lucas College and Graduate School of Business faculty, staff, students and alumni consistently make a significant impact in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond. Many of our graduates have gone on to excel in various industries, with a notable presence in Silicon Valley companies. These organizations recognize and value the exceptional education and skills our alumni bring to their roles, making San José State University a key contributor to the region’s thriving economy. We offer MBA, PMBA, MSFA, MSAA, MST and MSTM degrees at the graduate level and 14 different BSBA concentrations at the undergraduate level, the largest set of offerings among the CSUs. These include Accounting, Accounting Information Systems, Business Analytics, Corporate Accounting & Finance, Entrepreneurship, Finance, General Business, Hospitality, Tourism, & Event Management, Human Resources Management, International Business, Management, Management Information Systems, Marketing, & Operations and Supply Chain Management. For more information about our programs, visit sjsu.edu/cob/.