The effects of website stimulus design and customer emotion on the purchase of online coffee bean

根據國際咖啡組織的統計資料顯示，全球咖啡需求不斷增加，對台灣人而言，咖啡也與國人生活息息相關。隨著電子商務的蓬勃發展，許多產業已由傳統商店轉戰線上虛擬商店，在這樣的趨勢下，網頁刺激設計的重要性也越來越受到重視，特別是對於普遍、可替代性高，且相當重要的咖啡豆而言。 然而，目前網頁呈現之相關研究認為消費者實際感受普遍局限於視、聽兩覺，除了這兩種感官，其他感官無法在網頁被操控，因此本研究除了希望探討網頁刺激設計對消費者於線上購買咖啡豆時情緒、態度及購買意圖的影響外，還企圖利用不同的視、聽覺刺激的組合，確認那些組合最能激發消費者的聯覺想像。 本研究採用實驗室問卷調查法，利用影片聲音有無、類3D照片效果有無以及快慢音樂節奏等不同的視覺與聽覺刺激變數組合，設計出8個網頁，並收集共120位受測者，邀請每位受測者觀看各種不同網頁設計元素所組成的網站，並搭配問卷調查以獲得實驗數據。 經過實驗結果分析，本研究發現不同的感官刺激組合確實能為消費者內心狀態與購買意圖帶來不同的影響效果，其中，正向愉悅度、支配度與網頁態度，搭配負向激發度的情緒、狀態組合最能激發消費者購買意圖；而類3D照片搭配快音樂節奏的組合除了最能為消費者創造上述內心狀態組合外，同時也是最能激發消費者聯覺效果的網頁刺激設計元素組合。 以上研究結果於學術上突破了現有文獻認為網頁上只能帶給消費者視覺、聽覺刺激的限制，於實務上除了提供最佳網頁設計元素與情緒組合的建議外，也發現用成本較低的類3D圖片便可同時達到提升購買意圖以及聯覺效果的目的，幫助企業能在激烈的電子商務競爭中脫穎而出，跳脫原本的價格策略，改而使用網頁設計的差異化來提升銷售量。According to the statistical data of International Coffee Organization, the demand of coffee beans is increasing in the whole world. With the rapid development of electronic business, many industries tend to sell their products on the internet. And the importance of website stimulus design has been highly regarded, especially for those which are universal, highly substitutable, and highly valued coffee beans. However, most of the studies related to web design think that consumer perception is limited to visual and aural stimuli; all senses can’t be manipulated on the website except these two senses. This study has two goals. First, we attempt to measure the effects of website stimulus design on consumer emotion and the intention to purchase coffee beans. Second, we experiment with the combinations of different visual and aural stimuli to confirm which kind of combination is most effective to arouse consumer’s synesthesia. The study is conducted in the laboratory with questionnaires. Totally eight websites are designed with the presence or absence of video sound, quasi 3D or 2D photo, and music tempo speed. One hundred twenty (120) subjects are invited and asked to do the questionnaire after viewing these websites. The results of the experiment show that people’s organism and purchase intention are significantly affected by different website stimulus designs. Among them, the combination of positive pleasure, dominance and web attitude with negative arousal can bring consumers’ purchase intention most excitement. The combination of quasi 3D and fast-tempo music can not only help consumers to establish the internal state that we mentioned above, but also can arouse their synesthesia. In terms of the academic contribution, the results of this study break the limitation of existing literature stating that only visual and aural senses can be delivered on the website. As for the practical contribution, we not only offer the suggestion of best stimulus combination and emotional combination for a website, but also get the empirical support that sellers may increase consumers’ purchase intention and synesthesia at the same time with low-cost quasi 3D photos. The outcome of the study can help sellers stay ahead in the fierce competition in online shopping environment. Using website stimulus design can enhance sellers’ sales, rather than just using the price strategy