The effects of information overload on consumers' subjective state towards buying decision in the internet shopping environment

One of the strengths of e-retailers is their ability to convey rich information to their customers. The theory of information overload, however, predicts that, beyond a threshold, more information leads to worse quality of, but a better subjective state towards the buying decisions. This study, via re-appraising the conception of decision quality, subjective state towards decision, and threshold of information load, proposes an extended model, considering the roles of information filtering mechanisms, on-line shopping experience, and perceived information overload, to examine the effects of information load on subjective state towards decision. An experiment was conducted to test the research model. The results indicate that rich information leads to a perception of high information overload; and the latter lead consumers to a worse subject state towards decision. Information filtering tools and on-line shopping experience may have influences on relieving but are not the panacea to the phenomenon of information overload. Novice consumers may face a more serious information overload problem. (c) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.