Comparison of On-Line and Physical Presentation of Product Safety Information

The Internet has become a popular channel for the purchase of products. In 2001, 5$3 billion was spent online by U.S. consumers and 1$28 billion by non-U.S. consumers. However, there are few guidelines for how product safety information should be presented in on-line stores, generally leading to a lack of easily accessible information. This leads to several challenges for consumers. If no safety information is presented, consumers may choose not to purchase the product. Or they may purchase the product only to return it after reading the warnings on the physical product, or use the product and be injured. This study investigated the differences in behavior, perception, and comprehension when consumers purchased a toy for a 3-year old on-line and through the physical channel. Several differences in behavior were identified. Encouragingly, there were no significant differences in compliance, measured by the selection of age-appropriate toys, between the Internet and physical channels. However, perceptions were different. Participants were more likely to notice the warning on the Internet channel and more likely to recall and comprehend its recommendations. The results also supported previous studies that showed that users are more likely to notice, comprehend, and comply with warnings when they are presented saliently. This study extended that result to warnings presented through the Internet channel. Behavioral differences were also found. Participants relied more heavily on written product information to make their purchase choices on the Internet, perhaps because of their inability to make direct observations of the product. This highlights the critical importance of providing effective warnings online.