Diagnosing the search cost effect: Waiting time and the moderating impact of prior category knowledge

Abstract

Studies have concluded that cost of search and prior knowledge are two major influences on search. What is not known is whether the effect of search cost is the same for consumers of differing knowledge levels, particularly when consumers must wait to retrieve information. This paper studies the impact on search of different types of search cost: cognitive search cost, operationalized using prior category knowledge; and external search cost, operationalized using waiting times to obtain information. We focus on the prior knowledge × waiting time interaction effect on search in a computer search environment. We find that knowledge facilitates search, but only in low waiting time conditions. High knowledge consumers augment their search with more complex and cognitively demanding sources and patterns of information acquisition. But the search of low knowledge consumers remains largely unaffected. Implications of the study's findings are discussed. PsycINFO classification: 3900; 3920; 3940; 2320;