An Information Search Cost Perspective for Designing Interfaces for Electronic Commerce

• Published in: Journal of marketing research Vol. 36; no. 3; pp. 387 - 394
• Main Authors: Hoque, Abeer Y., Lohse, Gerald L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Chicago American Marketing Association 01.08.1999; SAGE PUBLICATIONS, INC
• Subjects: Advertising campaigns; Advertising research; Cognition & reasoning; Cognitive ability; Consumer attitudes; Consumer behavior; Consumer research; Consumers; Costs; Decision making; Design; Designers; Effectiveness; Electronic commerce; Electronic paper; Human computer interaction; Hyperlinks; Influence; Information search; Marketing; Online advertising; Readability; Reading; Research Notes and Communications; Statistical analysis; Studies; Task analysis; Telephone directories; User interface; Web site design; Websites; United States > US
• ISSN: 0022-2437; 1547-7193
• DOI: 10.1177/002224379903600307

This research helps Web developers apply knowledge on information search costs to the design of Web sites that sell consumer products or services. The goal of the research is to predict how subtle changes in the user interface design influence information search costs. With an empirical study, the authors compare 1411 choices subjects made regarding a business to patronize using paper and electronic telephone directories. The choices were contingent on information search costs imposed by the different media. By providing a theoretical basis for predicting differences in information search costs, the authors help designers create more effective Web sites for achieving their marketing objectives.