Time, attention, authenticity and consumer benefits of the Web

Abstract

This article addresses three potential consumer behavior tendencies: perceived time scarcity, competition for consumers' attention, and quest for authenticity. It also reviews prior research results on consumer benefits of the Web, which include convenience, time savings, ease of use, cost savings, and selection of items. The most prevalent consumer concerns are safety, waiting time, and loss of human interaction. This paper concludes that both time and attention are closely related to measurable attributes of interactive environments, while the ideals of authenticity may influence behavior less directly.