Information load: its relationship to online exploratory and shopping behavior

This article documents an effort to experimentally examine the effects of information characteristics of Web shopping sites on consumers' desire to approach the sites. A field experiment was conducted in which respondents visited shopping sites characterized by varying levels of information load. Two dimensions of information load, complexity and novelty were identified and were found to have differential effects on the desire to approach shopping sites. The novelty dimension kept consumers exploring the shopping sites, whereas the complexity dimension has the potential to induce impulse purchases. Managers are advised to design their Virtual shopping environments in line with their marketing objectives. Novelty is the key to successfully shaping attitudes, delivering content and soliciting responses, whereas complexity encourages on-line transactions. Future research directions for information academicians are suggested to formulate alternative models for on-line exploration behavior and to develop better measures for on-line informational environments. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.