Information search patterns in e-commerce product comparison services

• Main Authors: NAH, Fiona Fui-hoon, LEE, Hong-Hee, CHEN, Liqiang
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Institutional Knowledge at Singapore Management University 2005
• Subjects: Product comparison; information paths; e-commerce; Databases and Information Systems; E-Commerce
• Online Access: https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/sis_research/10053; https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/context/sis_research/article/11053/viewcontent/Information_Search_Patterns_in_E_Commerce_pv.pdf
• Institution: Singapore Management University

The presentation of product information is very important in e-commerce websites. In this research, we study how disposition styles can influence users‟ search patterns in product comparison services of e-commerce websites. Our results show that people are inclined to use feature information paths in vertical disposition style and product information paths in horizontal disposition style. The results also indicate that there are more feature paths than product paths in the earlier stage of product comparison, and more product paths than feature paths in the latter stage of product comparison. Based on Gensch‟s two-stage choice model and the results of our study, the vertical disposition style is more suited for supporting product comparison services.