Priming Effects by Visual Image Information in On-Line Shopping Malls

Abstract: "Priming Effect", as part of "Contextual Effect " is the phenomenon that pre-searched product information influences consecutive product evaluation. "Priming Effect " is different from other types of "Contextual Effects " in that pre-searched information doesn't have a direct effect on product evaluation, but an indirect effect which means that pre-searched information influences interpretation of consecutive product evaluation. On the previous theoretical background, this study investigated how visual images can influence consumer preference and product choice, introducing concept of priming effects into the design of on-line shopping malls. This experiment adopted the digital cameras as the experimental stimulus target products and designed the individual web pages by priming the attributes of price and size. In result of analysis, the difference of product preference by priming attributes was proved to be statistically significant. In this reason, suggesting the background of commercial web page can be the significant factor in choosing products, the priming effects introduced into the design can be positively employed in online advertising