scholarly journals Consumer Information Search Behavior for Experiential and Material Purchases

2014 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 194-201 ◽  
Author(s):  
Asli Elif Aydin
Keyword(s):  
Direct Observation ◽  
Information Search ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Search Behavior ◽  
Consumer Information ◽  
Sources Of Information ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Material Purchases ◽  
Information Search Behavior ◽  
Consumer Information Search

The objective of this study is to determine whether sources of information consulted and the extent of information search differ between experiential and material purchases. For this purpose two experimental studies were conducted. It is demonstrated that moving along the experiential-material purchase continuum; consumers’ reliance on personal sources, especially personal independent sources intensifies towards experiential purchase pole and decreases towards material purchase pole. In addition, for material purchases; direct observation is preferred more compared to personal sources of information. Finally, it is revealed that the total amount of search is greater for experiential purchases than material purchases. The results suggest that experiential and material purchases require different types of search conduct due to their distinct natures.

Consumer Pre-purchase Search in Online Shopping: Role of Offline and Online Information Sources

2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 42-60 ◽  
Author(s):  
Krishna Akalamkam ◽  
Joy Kumar Mitra
Keyword(s):  
Information Search ◽  
Information Sources ◽  
Online Shopping ◽  
Search Behavior ◽  
Consumer Preference ◽  
Consumer Information ◽  
Online Information ◽  
Online Shoppers ◽  
Information Search Behavior ◽  
Consumer Information Search

Pre-purchase information search is an integral part of consumer decision-making process and buying behavior. Understanding consumer information search behavior is vital for organizations in order to plan their communication strategy and reach consumers effectively. Though consumer information search behavior is extensively studied in traditional brick and mortar purchase situations, there is dearth of research in understanding consumer information search behavior in online shopping occasions. Given the rapid growth in electronic retail over the last few years, it is imperative to understand consumer information search behavior in online buying situations. This study investigates the factors that influence the extent of usage of different information sources in pre-purchase information search by online shoppers through an empirical research among 1079 online shoppers. The analysis of data using multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) shows that consumers tend to use both traditional offline information sources and online information sources when they shop online. However, the preference for different online and offline information sources is likely to be different for hedonic and utilitarian products. Individual factors, such as Internet usage experience, need for cognition and age, also tend to influence consumer preference for different online and offline sources. This has important implications for e-marketers as they may need to use different communication channels depending on the nature of the product and the characteristics of their target consumers to effectively promote their offerings.

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