The Impact of the Internet Adoption on the Information Search for High and Low Involvement Products: An Empirical Study Based in Taiwan

The dissertation aims at unravelling the implicit antecedents and consequences of consumer information searching activities in an online context. The involvement theory has been incorporated which concentrates on the mental aspect of consumers' information searching behaviour as a complement to the traditional consumer decision making model. Cosmetics and toothpastes are chosen as the representative product categories for high and low product involvement respectively. Previous researchers have suggested that the amount and pattern of consumers' online information searching activities are influenced by the level of product involvement to a great extent. Thus, it is reasonable to integrate the concept into the study of online consumer information search. In addition, it is believed that online information search activities can create value for consumers, which leads to a positive attitude toward the information search behaviour. In the analytical model, utilitarian and hedonic value generated during the information search is integrated as a determinant of consumer satisfaction with the online information searching experience. The relationship between satisfaction and reuse intention of the Internet will also be investigated. After an online survey conducted in Taiwan, the proposed hypotheses are examined carefully with the support of statistic analyses. As a result, some practical implications for the practitioners who engage in online marketing activities and recommendations for further researches are made