Intelligent product search with soft-boundary preference relaxation

This paper proposes a novel method for preference relaxation in online product search, which enables consumers to make quality choices without suffering from the commonly experienced information overload. In online shopping scenarios that involve multi-attribute choice tasks, it can be difficult for consumers to process the vast amounts of information available and to make satisfactory buying decisions. In such situations consumers are likely to eliminate potentially good choices early on, using hard-constraint filtering tools. Our approach uses edge sets to identify the alternatives on the soft boundary and the principle of alternative domination to suppress the alternatives on this boundary that are irrelevant. We demonstrate how our approach outperforms existing methods for product search in a set of simulations using two sets of 2650 car advertisements and 1813 digital cameras gathered from a popular online store.     

The moderating role of information load on online product presentation

Online product presentations, which help consumers obtain product information, have an important role in shopping websites. Two major information types, visual and textual information, govern the modalities of consumers in acquiring product-related information from most online product presentations. Previous studies have debated on which of these two information types can enhance the shopping performance of consumers. However, these debates have resulted in dichotomous outcomes. In this regard, the factor(s) that contribute to such divided results must be examined. In this study, we use the level of processing theory and information load to examine the effect of online product presentations on the online shopping performance of consumers. A laboratory experiment has also been conducted. The results of data analysis show that information load has a significant moderating role on the effects of online product presentations. The experimental results show that visual-based online product presentation has a greater effect on the shopping performance of consumers in high information load condition, whereas textual-based online product presentation provides greater performance advantages in low information load condition. Finally, the implications of these findings to both academics and practitioners are discussed.     

The effect of online store atmosphere on consumer's emotional responses – an experimental study of music and colour

The current study is a convergence of two research orientations: the effect of ambient factors (e.g. music and colour) in physical stores and the website design in cyber context. The former emphasises the influence of sensory stimuli on the shoppers' responses; whereas the latter address the relationship between website design factors (e.g. usability) and the performance of a virtual store. This article aims to bridge the gap between the above research orientations and explores the impact of two environmental elements – music and colour – of an online store on the consumers' emotions – considered as direct antecedents to shopping behaviours – by employing a laboratory experiment. The results indicated that both music and colour reveal significant effects on respondents' emotional responses. To be more specific, participants felt more aroused and pleasant when they were under fast music and warm colour conditions than those who were exposed to an environment with slow music and cool colour. In addition, the congruency of these two atmospheric factors enhances the effects of atmosphere on people's emotional responses.     

With a little help from my friends: Cultivating serendipity in online shopping environments

Many important findings and discoveries in science and everyday life are the result of serendipity, that is, the unanticipated occurrence of happy events such as the finding of valuable information. Consumers are increasingly seeking serendipity in online shopping, where information clutter and preprogramed recommendation systems can make product choice frustrating or mundane. However, it is notoriously difficult to design online shopping environments that induce it. In this study, we explore how social media affordances such as obtaining access to peer-generated content and being connected to online friends can help create the right conditions for serendipity in online shopping. We supplement this analysis with an account of two individual factors that are also likely to be instrumental in a shopping context, namely, the intensity of shoppers’ information search and their aversion to risk when faced with a product choice. Our investigation relies on a conceptualization of serendipity that has two defining elements: unexpectedness and informational value. The results of an experimental study in which we manipulated an online product search environment reveal the superiority of designs that incorporate online friendships, and these results support the positive effects of search effort and risk aversion on serendipity. This study contributes by developing a theoretical framework for the analysis of serendipity and by explaining how social commerce, that is, the integration of social media and electronic commerce, can cultivate serendipity.     

A feedback control approach to maintain consumer information load in online shopping environments

The heterogeneity of e-commerce users requires online shopping environments to advance from a simple framework to one that is adaptive. This need results from the negative consequences of user frustration due to information load. We used a feedback control theory based approach to address the online consumer information overload issue in an adaptive manner. To demonstrate the efficacy of this feedback control approach, a design science method evaluated the feedback controller. The main effect was that the dynamic adaptivity did not have to rely on summarizing data for inference to the individual. The proposed feedback control design is therefore a robust and viable option for organizations to incorporate into their online shopping environments to accommodate user variation of information load for e-commerce adaptivity.     

Understanding customers' loyalty intentions towards online shopping: an integration of technology acceptance model and fairness theory

As with any other information system (IS), the success of online shopping depends largely on customer satisfaction and other factors that will eventually increase customers' loyalty intentions. This article integrates two major variables of technology acceptance model (TAM), trust, and fairness to construct a model for investigating the motivations behind customers' loyalty intentions towards online shopping. The hypothesised model is validated empirically using data collected from 311 customers of an online shopping store. The results indicated that distributive, procedural and interactional fairness were strong predictors of trust, which in turn influenced satisfaction. Distributive fairness and interactional fairness exhibited significant positive effects on satisfaction. Perceived usefulness and satisfaction influenced loyalty intention towards online shopping. Perceived ease of use acts indirectly on loyalty intention through the mediating effect of perceived usefulness. Implications for theory and practice and future research directions are discussed.     

The effects of information overload on consumers’ subjective state towards buying decision in the internet shopping environment

One of the strengths of e-retailers is their ability to convey rich information to their customers. The theory of information overload, however, predicts that, beyond a threshold, more information leads to worse quality of, but a better subjective state towards the buying decisions. This study, via re-appraising the conception of decision quality, subjective state towards decision, and threshold of information load, proposes an extended model, considering the roles of information filtering mechanisms, on-line shopping experience, and perceived information overload, to examine the effects of information load on subjective state towards decision. An experiment was conducted to test the research model. The results indicate that rich information leads to a perception of high information overload; and the latter lead consumers to a worse subject state towards decision. Information filtering tools and on-line shopping experience may have influences on relieving but are not the panacea to the phenomenon of information overload. Novice consumers may face a more serious information overload problem.     

Customers’ preference of online store visit strategies: an investigation of demographic variables

There is significant interest among marketers and academics to understand how to segment online consumers to better fulfill their needs. Previous literature on brick-and-mortar shopping has advocated demographic variables as simple yet valuable indicators to understand consumers and segment them accordingly. However, research in the online shopping context has produced mixed findings about the effects of demographics, which limit their utility to online merchants. As an attempt to address the ambiguity, the study proposes a more comprehensive approach to investigate the effects of demographic variables in the online shopping context. This is done by considering the demographic variables in combinations and using clickstream data to more accurately derive online shoppers’ surfing behaviour for segmentation purposes. Following this approach, our study investigates the effects of the demographic variables of gender, age, income, and education, based on the theories of media naturalness and consumer trait and involvement. The results reveal various effects of age, income, and education on online consumers’ needs being reflected in their store visit strategies. Implications are suggested for e-commerce research and practice.     

Using an Eye-Tracking Approach to Explore Gender Differences in Visual Attention and Shopping Attitudes in an Online Shopping Environment

Growth in online marketing has been unprecedented, and mainstream shopping is shifting from traditional stores to online shopping channels. However, many aspects of online consumer behavior remain unaddressed. In particular, the effects of gender differences in visual attention on shopping attitudes are a great challenge in online retailers’ attempts to understand consumers’ cognitive processing and strategies. This study was designed to investigate the effects of gender on visual attention to online shopping information and its influence on attitudes about the products displayed. Using an eye-tracking approach, the results identified significant gender differences in visual attention to online shopping information and shopping attitudes about the products presented. Female participants attended visually to most of the online shopping information areas to a greater degree than did males, and their attitudes about products were influenced to some degree by visual attention to the consumer opinion areas. Although males’ visual attention was lower than females’, their shopping attitudes were influenced extensively by visual attention to product information and consumer opinion areas.     

Using fuzzy TOPSIS method for evaluating the competitive advantages of shopping websites

Taking into consideration technology acceptance factors, website service quality and specific holdup cost factors, this research explores how shopping websites to establish their competitive advantages through these dimensions. We begin with an examination of the literature on shopping websites about its competitive advantages upon which we propose a conceptual framework. Then this research adopts the fuzzy TOPSIS as the analytical tool that determines the weights of each criterion. Fuzzy theory provides a proper tool to encounter with uncertainties and complex environment. The purpose of this paper is to use the fuzzy TOPSIS method based on fuzzy sets in solving MCDM problems. From our research results, the security and trust are the most important factors for improving the competitive advantage of shopping website. Moreover, the PCHome and Yahoo Taiwan rank the first two positions for shopping websites. This paper draws on the research results for implications of managerial practice, and then suggests some empirical tactics in order to enhance management performance for the website shopping industry.     

Online consumer retention: contingent effects of online shopping habit and online shopping experience

In this study, we further develop the information systems continuance model in the context of online shopping, using a contingency theory that accounts for the roles of online shopping habit and online shopping experience. Specifically, we argue and empirically demonstrate that although conceptually distinct, online shopping habit and online shopping experience have similar effects on repurchase intention. They both have positive mediated effects through satisfaction and moderate the relationship between satisfaction and online repurchase intention. The results of a survey study involving 122 online customers provide strong support for our research model. We also identify after-sale service, transaction efficiency, security, convenience, and cost savings as important online shopping usefulness drivers. Theoretical and practical implications include establishing a contingency theory to more fully explain online customer retention as well as guidelines for development of customer relationship management initiatives.     

Will you spend more money and time on internet shopping when the product and situation are right?

Different from past online shopping research which focuses on exploring the cognitive and attitudinal aspects of online consumption behaviors, this study focuses on examining how online shopping motivation and product type affect the searching and spending behavior in an online website. In particular, the interactive effect between online shopping motivation and product type are explored in the study. A 2 × 2 between-subjects factorial experiment with two shopping motivations (i.e., goal-oriented and experiential) and two product types (i.e., hedonic and utilitarian product) was conducted. In addition to the main effects of online shopping motivation and product type, the results show that there is an interactive effect between online shopping motivation and product type on budget control. Participants conducted the loosest budget control when purchasing hedonic products in a goal-oriented online shopping trip because the shopping motivation provides a good justification for online shoppers to purchase hedonic goods without guilt or regret.     

Product and channel-related risk and involvement in online contexts

Activities aimed at reducing risk perception, strengthening consumer involvement and winning consumer loyalty are perhaps more difficult in an online context than in an off-line context due to the peculiar characteristics of online purchasing. This paper sets out to model the effect that certain consumer profile characteristics and three types of risk – social risk, channel risk and transaction risk – have on determining the buyer involvement toward the channel and toward the products or services, as well as their effects on purchase intention. Our results confirm that risk dimensions are interrelated, as are involvement dimensions, that social risk is closely related to involvement, and that frequency of purchase and buyer profiles affect involvement toward the online channel. They also give rise to a set of recommendations on the promotion of Internet commerce.     

针对超市购物数据的深度分析算法

针对实体店很难对顾客整个购物过程进行深度分析的问题,提出了一种深度购物数据分析方法。该算法通过使用阅读器收集无源RFID标签的相位信息,以此间接计算商品的相对移动速度,再根据相对移动速度对购物过程进行分析。在考虑到超市商品的密集分布特点后,提出改进的I-kNN算法,采用I-kNN算法和HAC算法进行深入的速度数据分析,识别出感兴趣商品、热销商品、热点区域以及相关商品。随后利用现有的商用设备,对所提出的系统建立了原型,在实际环境中进行测试。理论分析与实验结果表明,该算法在购物数据分析上是可行的,准确率在78%以上,且能够减少需要分析的数据量,降低计算复杂度。     

How impulsivity affects consumer decision-making in e-commerce

This research investigates whether a person’s mood can influence impulsivity in online shopping decisions, and how involvement can regulate it. We adopt a process view of impulsivity, and recorded the detailed information search patterns of consumers using an eye-tracker methodology. The results show that incidental moods tend to increase process impulsivity, and this effect may not be restrained by involvement. We also demonstrate that the decision-making process can be separated into two stages – orientation and evaluation. We further find that differences in impulsivity are most evident in the evaluation stage. These results suggest the importance of mood-elicited impulsivity of purchases in e-commerce.     

The effects and interaction of spatial visualization and domain expertise on information seeking

Information seeking skills are becoming increasingly important as rapid and widespread developments in technology have made information available in more formats and from more sources than ever before. Research in human computer interaction (HCI) has demonstrated that primary cognitive abilities represent a powerful predictor of information-seeking success in electronic information systems. Specifically, spatial visualization ability (SVA) seems to be particularly related to hierarchical menus systems navigation within databases, online learning environments, information archival systems, and virtually all internet web sites. Research indicates that individuals with low SVA take longer to complete tasks and experience more errors on first attempts to find information in hierarchical databases compared to those with high SVA. Understanding the influences of SVA as well as its interaction with other aspects of individual differences, such as domain expertise, is critical to the design of systems intended to accommodate individual differences in users.Thirty-five college students (23 males and 12 females) were selected from the general student body of two universities and assigned to groups based upon their self-reported membership in one of two specific disciplines: business (n=26) or biology (n=9). Participants were then assigned to groups based upon scores on tests of SVA using a median-split. Each participant conducted five searches: one neutral search, two searches for business related information, and two searches for biology related information using the FirstSearch archival search tool.A 2×2 factorial Analysis of Variance with one between-groups variable (high vs. low SVA) and one within-group variable (high vs. low domain expertise) indicated a significant main effect of SVA as well as a significant main effect of Domain Expertise on the time required to find their first relevant article on the search topic. The analysis also revealed that there was no main effect for SVA on the total number of relevant articles found during the search period but there was a significant main effect of Domain Expertise on the total total-number-of-relevant-articles found. There was no interaction between SVA and Domain Expertise on either time to first article or total number of articles found.Results of the study extend existing knowledge regarding the effects of SVA and domain expertise on information seeking by demonstrating a strong effect of SVA and domain expertise on information seeking skills. The results of this study also provide evidence in support of interface designs that are friendlier to information seekers who have low SVA. Related findings and suggestions for further research are discussed.     

Exploring the cognitive and affective bases of online purchase intentions: a hierarchical test across product types

Whereas there is ample e-commerce research on how online store beliefs and consumer online affective states may influence online purchase intentions, no research so far has examined whether the hierarchy of effects between these concepts differs across product types. In this study, we fill this research gap by examining the explanatory power of the think-feel-do hierarchy versus the feel-think-do hierarchy in predicting online purchase intentions towards search versus experience products and high involvement versus low involvement products. Hypotheses are formulated and tested using a quasi-field experiment (n = 198) design. The results show the robustness of the think-feel-do hierarchy for three out of four product types (experience, low involvement, high involvement). Remarkably, the results also demonstrate that the formation of online purchase intentions for search products may occur via a more experiential form of online purchase decision-making. Implications of our findings for theory and online store practitioners are discussed.     

Applying virtual reality for trust-building e-commerce environments

The application of virtual reality in e-commerce has enormous potential for transforming online shopping into a real-world equivalent. However, the growing research interest focuses on virtual reality technology adoption for the development of e-commerce environments without addressing social and behavioral facets of online shopping such as trust. At the same time, trust is a critical success factor for e-commerce and remains an open issue as to how it can be accomplished within an online store. This paper shows that the use of virtual reality for online shopping environments offers an advanced customer experience compared to conventional web stores and enables the formation of customer trust. The paper presents a prototype virtual shopping mall environment, designed on principles derived by an empirically tested model for building trust in e-commerce. The environment is evaluated with an empirical study providing evidence and explaining that a virtual reality shopping environment would be preferred by customers over a conventional web store and would facilitate the assessment of the e-vendor’s trustworthiness.     

What users want in e-commerce design: effects of age,education and income

Preferences for certain characteristics of an online shopping experience may be related to demographic data. This paper discusses the characteristics of that experience, demographic data and preferences by demographic group. The results of an online survey of 488 individuals in the United States indicate that respondents are generally satisfied with their online shopping experiences, with security, information quality and information quantity ranking first in importance overall. The sensory impact of a site ranked last overall of the seven characteristics measured. Preferences for these characteristics in e-commerce sites were differentiated by age, education and income. The sensory impact of sites became less important as respondents increased in age, income or education. As the income of respondents increased, the importance of the reputation of the vendor rose. Web site designers may incorporate these findings into the design of e-commerce sites in an attempt to increase the shopping satisfaction of their users. Results from the customer relationship management portion of the survey suggest that current push technologies and site personalization are not an effective means of achieving user satisfaction.     

Retracted: An Empirical Study of an Internet Marketing Strategy for Search Engine Optimization

Over the past few years, more and more Internet visitors are reaching websites through search engines rather than through direct links from another web page. Search engines have come to occupy a prominent position in the online world and are being used to find all kinds of information including things, events, people, and places. The search engine is also coming to play a greater role as a critical link between firms that use the Internet to build their image and find their target customers. How to achieve a high ranking in such search results given certain search words or phrases has become an issue of much interest in Internet marketing. The purpose of the current study is to develop a search engine optimization (SEO) mechanism that can be used by an enterprise to improve the ranking of its website in the search engine results. Social networking sites are included in our exploration of Internet marketing strategy. The proposed mechanism is then applied in the operations of an online ebook store. The website rankings obtained from two well‐known online search engines (Google and Yahoo) are evaluated in efforts to explore a better strategy to ensure higher rankings. The results reveal that a well‐designed SEO strategy, with the incorporation of social networking, can effectively enhance the website's visibility and exposure. Such a strategy will eventually contribute to overall site traffic and improve interaction with customers. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.