In this paper, we study the question and answer (Q&A) feature of electronic commerce platforms, an increasingly common form of user-generated content (UGC) that allows consumers to publicly ask product-specific questions and receive responses, either from the platform or from other customers. Using data from a major online retailer, we show that Q&As complement reviews and ratings: unlike reviews, Q&As primarily happen pre-purchase, focus on clarification of product attributes (rather than discussion of quality), and convey fit-specific information in a sentiment-free way. Our main hypothesis is that Q&As mitigate product fit uncertainty, leading to better matches between products and consumers, and therefore improved product ratings. We show that when low-rated products start receiving Q&As, their subsequent ratings improve by approximately 0.5 stars. We further show that the extent of the rating increase due to Q&As is moderated by the degree of ex-ante fit uncertainty. Overall, our findings suggest that, by resolving product fit uncertainty in an e-commerce setting, the addition of Q&As can be a viable way for retailers to improve ratings and sales of low-rated products, particularly those products that have incurred low ratings due to customer-product fit mismatch.

The provision of education for all in India remains a distant dream, despite substantial amounts of government and state investment going into it. The objective of this study is to highlight an alternative learning model that makes use of the e-revolution that has proliferated into every aspect of our lives. Although there have been attempts to incorporate ICT into rural classrooms, most of the focus has been on video-based digitized learning and has not efficiently addressed the best ways in which learning can be achieved. Our aim is thus to design a model that not only makes e-learning effective, but replaces the under-qualified teachers in remote areas and allows for the free permeation of education in ways that might bridge the digital divide amongst students of various socio economic backgrounds. In this context our intervention focuses on a class of 16 students, 10 to 11 years of age (class 5) at Ma Sarada Shishu Tirtha, a school for tribal girls, located in Krishnanagar, West Bengal, India. The intervention involved a remote teacher delivering Math and English lessons in a class-room setting, (via the video conferencing software Skype, and PowerPoint Presentations) while also making the session interactive.