Consumer motivation, particularly through the lens of Regulatory Focus Theory (promotion emphasizing gains, prevention emphasizing loss avoidance), significantly shapes purchasing decisions, including how consumers process online information like star ratings, a crucial element in the post-COVID-19 e-commerce landscape. However, the nuanced interplay between individuals' regulatory focus and their interpretation of these ratings during product selection remains an under-explored area. This research aimed to investigate this relationship, specifically examining how promotion and prevention-focused individuals utilize star rating information when choosing between products. A sample of one hundred thirty-three participants engaged in a novel product selection task where they chose between two options, each accompanied by aggregated customer star ratings. Participants also completed a regulatory focus questionnaire to assess their dominant motivational orientation. The analysis revealed distinct patterns of star rating processing based on regulatory focus. Individuals with a dominant promotion focus preferred products with more high-tier (4 and 5-star) ratings, showing less sensitivity to the presence of lower-tier (1 and 2-star) ratings. In contrast, those with a dominant prevention focus favored products with fewer lower-tier ratings. These findings underscore the significant influence of regulatory focus on how consumers utilize online star rating information in their purchasing decisions. This understanding offers valuable practical implications for targeted advertising strategies. Businesses can enhance their communication effectiveness by emphasizing potential benefits and gains when appealing to promotion-focused consumers, while highlighting the prevention of losses and negative outcomes when targeting prevention-focused consumers.