Leveling the Playing Field… in Private: The Interplay of Malicious Envy and Anonymity in Online Revenge

ABSTRACT This paper explores the dynamics between malicious envy, anonymity, and consumer revenge behaviors, specifically under conditions of perceived unfairness related to access to desirable products or services. Utilizing a theoretical framework based on impression management, we conducted three experimental studies to examine how individuals balance their retributive desires with the need to maintain social approval, particularly focusing on the settings—public versus anonymous—where these behaviors manifest. Our findings reveal how malicious envy acts as a mediator between perceived injustices and revenge behaviors. Moreover, the current research highlights that anonymity, or the lack thereof, significantly influences the likelihood of retaliatory actions, with more punitive actions occurring under conditions that protect consumers' self‐presentation. These insights contribute to our understanding of malicious envy and impression management in consumption settings by illustrating how the public or anonymous nature of actions can modulate the interplay between malicious envy and the desire for revenge. For marketing practitioners, the findings suggest that strategies involving consumer engagement, particularly those that could evoke envy, should carefully consider the potential for negative anonymous feedback.