Consumer Information and Education Effects on Knowledge and Choice of Fire Resistant Upholstery

Chandler, Kathryn; Crown, Elizabeth M.; Brown, Sandra A.

doi:10.1111/j.1745-6606.1991.tb00009.x

Cited by 5 publications

(1 citation statement)

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“…The information processing perspective argues that prior product knowledge is a part of memory which influences the cognitive capacity of consumers. Thus, many researchers have closely examined the relationship of prior product knowledge to consumer pre‐purchase information search behavior, both conceptually and empirically (Basu, 1993; Bettman and Park, 1980; Chandler and Crown, 1991; Chao and Gupta, 1995; Coleman and Warren, 1995; Duncan and Olshavsky, 1982; Moorthy et al , 1997; Ratchford, 2001). However, these studies have found support for positive, negative and inverse relationship between these constructs (Appendix 1) and have come with equally strong arguments in support of their research.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Understanding the role of prior product knowledge to information search

Awasthy

Banerjee

2012

Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics

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PurposeExisting literature offers conflicting evidence on how prior product knowledge influences amount of information search. A majority of these studies are based on variants of cost benefit frameworks where consumers engage in search until the benefits from information search exceed search costs. The purpose of this paper is to develop an expectancy theory‐based framework to model consumers' information search and its antecedents, including motivation to search as an intervening construct.Design/methodology/approachThe framework is tested using data from real consumers engaged in their actual purchase decisions, in an emerging market context, using longitudinal survey research design. The data are analysed using structural equation modeling to test the hypothesized model. The model shows an acceptable fit with X2 (271, 487)=640.252, p < 0.00 and 0.95 CFI.FindingsResults indicate that the relationship between prior product knowledge to information search is mediated by motivation to search. Prior product knowledge influences motivation to search through its influence on the consumer's perceived ability to search and his/her perceived value of additional information. Furthermore, perceived ability to search is the strongest predictor of motivation to search. The parsimony of the proposed framework in providing a simpler account of factors influencing the search process along with its managerial implications is discussed.Practical implicationsThe findings suggest that perceived ability to search and perceived value of additional information are two important levers that managers could use for achieving desired results. Furthermore, perceived ability to search is an important mediator, which completely mediates the relationship between prior product knowledge and motivation to search. These findings also provide strong indications about the need to simplify the search process for consumers, especially in the context when novelty is predominantly marketed.Originality/valueThe paper introduces a motivational measure of search in the literature and shows that the motivational measure is indeed the proximal measure to other antecedent constructs compared to a behavioral measure of search. Perceived ability to search and perceived value of additional information are shown as important mediators between prior product knowledge and motivation to search.

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