Website Attitude Research Articles

Revealing consumer review attitude through online review and website cues

PurposeConsumer-perceived review attitude determines consumer overall information adoption and is a core part of consumer’s online-shopping. This study aims to focus on factors that could influence consumer review attitude and can be used by marketers to shape individual information perception.Design/methodology/approachThe study used the questionnaire method to collect data from online shoppers and the modelling of structural equations as an empirical approach to analyse the data.FindingsThe findings demonstrate that both systematic and heuristic cues impact the reviewer’s credibility and perceived website attitude differently, which, in turn, influence review attitude. Review characteristics, such as factuality, consistency and relevancy, have a positive relationship with reviewer credibility, while only review consistency and relevancy appears to have a relationship with review attitude. Website characteristics such as reputation, familiarity and social interactivity positively influence the website attitude, which positively influences review attitude. Apart from this, review skepticism has a significant negative relationship with review attitude.Practical implicationsThis study could help to foster a positive attitude towards online reviews. Digital marketers need to motivate trusted reviewers to post consistent, fact-based reviews. Further improving the overall website reputation and interactivity could bring a positive attitude towards the reviews. Also, digital marketers must filter and avoid contradictory reviews or reviews that have a bipolar message and reviews expressing numerous emotions to enhance review relevance and consistency.Originality/valueThe current study addresses the need to understand the formation of consumer review attitude through both review and website characteristics using heuristic – systematic model. The paper captures the complex process undergone by the consumer to decipher review attitude and thereby extend the understanding of consumer information processing.

An investigation into online atmospherics: The effect of animated images on emotions, cognition, and purchase intentions

While prior research on animation effects focused on Web advertising, this article focuses on online retailing and identifies animated images as an important online atmospheric cue. Using an extended Stimulus-Organism-Response (SOR) model, this article explores animation effects on emotional and cognitive processes. Across two studies, the findings show that compared with static images, animated images elicit greater pleasure, which in turn induces more favorable website attitudes, and lead to higher purchase intentions. Further, this serial mediation effect holds across different types of products. These findings, from the perspective of online atmospherics, deepen our understanding of animation effects on consumer approach-avoidance responses.

The role of emotion in interactivity effects: positive emotion enhances attitudes, negative emotion helps information processing

ABSTRACT Individuals can react to the same media content in significantly different ways depending on their emotions, yet only little attention has been paid to this topic in the context of interactive media usage. Filling this gap, the current study investigates how the valence of emotion affects the persuasive impact of interactive health messages. We conducted a 2 (emotion: positive vs. negative) × 2 (interactivity: interactive website vs. non-interactive webpage) between-subjects factorial design experiment (N = 225) and measured participants’ interface assessment, website/message attitudes, behaviour intentions and recognition memory. The results showed that interactivity elicited more favourable interface assessments and website attitudes only for those experiencing positive emotions, which indirectly enhanced their message attitudes and behavioural intentions toward the anti-drug-driving message. In contrast, negative emotions aided recognition memory of the interactive part of the website. The findings bridge the human–computer interaction and cognitive psychology literature and suggest how user emotions can be used as a design strategy to enhance positive attitudes toward websites.

Effect of data environment and cognitive ability on participants’ attitude towards data governance

Data governance has received research attention, but its effect on public attitude has not been sufficiently explored. To analyse the attitude towards public participation in data governance in the context of a tourism platform, we conduct an empirical model that aims to understand the impact of data governance environment and participants’ cognitive ability on attitude. Taking tourism sharing platforms as an example, we collected 339 questionnaires for data analysis. Results show that data quality and website design have a positive effect on users’ attitude towards data governance through data literacy self-efficacy. Data literacy self-efficacy has a suppression effect between data quality and attitude towards data governance and has the same effect between website design and attitude towards data governance. Data quality and website design have a positive effect on users’ attitude towards data governance through platform interaction. Platform interactivity plays a mediating role between data quality and attitude towards data governance and has the same effect between website design and attitude towards data governance. Data policy has a positive effect on users’ data literacy self-efficacy but no significant effect on platform interactivity. Moreover, this study provides theoretical and practical implications that can guide the government in policy implementation and platform managers in data governance.

Do women and extroverts perceive interactivity differently than men and introverts? Role of individual differences in responses to HCI vs. CMC interactivity

Websites, social media, mobile apps and indeed most internet platforms offer two distinct kinds of interactivity: one that involves interacting with the system, or what is commonly known as human-computer interaction (HCI), and another that involves interacting with other users, or computer-mediated communication (CMC). Are some people drawn toward one more than the other? And, is this indicative of one's social orientation? We decided to find out by examining whether extroverts and females are more likely to favor the latter type of interactivity, given their greater emphasis on relational aspects of communication. Through a between-subjects experiment with four conditions (Interactivity with HCI tools vs. CMC tools vs. HCI + CMC tools vs. Control), this research examined how extraversion and gender moderate the psychological effects of message interactivity on a movie news site. Results suggest that interactivity with CMC tools leads to a greater psychological perception of interactivity than interactivity with HCI tools. Moreover, extraversion positively predicts website attitudes for both interactivity types individually, yet it negatively predicts website attitudes when the website affords both together. The study also found a three-way interaction between interactivity, extraversion, and gender on perceived interactivity, revealing that extraversion helps males perceive more interactivity in HCI tools while it helps females perceive more interactivity in CMC tools. Theoretical implications for interactivity literature and practical implications for interface design are discussed.

The Role of Website Visual Design in Predicting Consumers' Purchase Intentions

This study aims to investigate the effects of website visual design on purchase intention in B2C environments. This purpose was addressed through the use of The Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-O-R) model, in which a number of hypotheses were drawn. The proposed model in this study was examined was examined through an empirical study involving 532 online shoppers using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) techniques. The results of this study indicated that consumers' perceptions of website visual design influence website trust and website attitude, which in turn positively boost online purchase intention. The results also revealed a partial mediating effect of website trust and attitude in the relationship between website visual design and purchase intention. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed in the paper.

Perceived Active Control over Online Health Information: Underlying Mechanisms of Mode Tailoring Effects on Website Attitude and Information Recall

Previous tailoring research has traditionally studied effects of system-initiated message content to match individual characteristics. Recently scholars have explored how tailoring health information to individual modality preferences and processing styles can increase message effectiveness. Using a web-based experiment among a representative sample of Internet users (N = 392; 25–86 years), this study investigated the underlying mechanisms that might explain the effects of mode tailoring on website attitudes and recall of online health information. Results from structural equation modeling showed that mode tailoring – enabling users to self-customize a health website’s presentation mode (via textual, visual, audiovisual information) – increased users’ perceived active control, which in turn contributed to higher perceived relevance and website engagement, and reduced cognitive load. Positive indirect effects of mode tailoring (vs. no tailoring) through these mechanisms were found for both website attitude and information recall. The findings suggest that perceived active control is the key driver of mode tailoring effects. Mode tailoring can be a promising and novel strategy to maximize the effectiveness of tailored health communications. The authors discuss the implications for theory and design of digital health information.

PERAN SIKAP DALAM MEMEDIASI PENGARUH WEBSITE LAYOUT DESIGN TERHADAP NIAT BELI KEMBALI

The purpose of this research is to know the relation between website layout design, attitude and repurchase intention. The research is targeting the customer of lazada.co.id who domiciled in Bali. Sample’s size of the research is 90 respondents with non-probability sampling method Process of collecting the respondent’s data is by distributing questionnaire. Partial Least Square and Sobel test are used or the instrument’s research. Result of analysis shown that direct relation between website layout design, attitude and repurchase intention have significant positive relation. While, the indirect relation, attitude able to be mediation variable that associated two variables, such as website layout design and repurchase intention. It describes repurchase intention will increase if positive attitude of lazada.co.id customer also increase as the impact of well display of website layout design.
 Keywords: website layout design, attitude, repurchase intention

Exploring Website Preferences for African American Women: An Evaluation of an Internet-Based Source of Health Information on Eating Healthy and Being Active

INTRODUCTION: Internet-based health interventions continue to be popular and effective, and one area of focus of such interventions is weight loss. Although African-American women are regular users of Internet-based health interventions, there is a dearth of research regarding Internet usage and website preferences of this group. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between website attributes that influence African American women to use health-related websites, their stage of change for using the Internet to access information on health care, and predictor variables for website ratings. 
 
 METHODS: The study used a backwards stepwise regression analysis to determine the best predictor of high ratings of the Eat Healthy - Be Active web portal and the Rating and Evaluating Health Care Websites Survey to measure website attitudes and beliefs and stage of change for using the computer and Internet to access health care information. The participants were 206 African American women who use the Internet.
 
 RESULTS: The regression analysis indicated that the predictor variables were education level, BMI, and weight. 
 
 CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that various factors influence the effectiveness of Internet-based interventions targeted at African-American women. Future research should continue to explore these factors, particularly for groups with higher rates of preventable diseases.

Impact of Informational Characteristics of the Recruitment Website on Graduating Students' Job Pursuit Intention

The purpose of this article is to examine the dimensionalities, mechanisms, and the conditions under which information characteristics of the corporate employment website influence job seekers' job pursuit intention and recommendation intention. Drawing on the stimulus-organism-response (S-O-R) framework, the data collected from 181 active job seekers posit that the effects of information characteristics, such as information relevancy, information accuracy, and information timeliness on organizational attractiveness are mediated by job seekers' attitudes towards the website, which in turn direct to create job pursuit intention and intention to recommend. Furthermore, it is also postulated that the relationship between the above-said characteristics and attitude towards the website is moderated by the perceived privacy concern of the job seekers. In addition, the article results also supported that the relationship between job seekers' website attitude and organizational attractiveness is moderated by perceived organizational reputation.

Interactivity as a Double-Edged Sword: Parsing Out the Effects of Modality Interactivity on Anti-Smoking Message Processing and Persuasion

This study combines the heuristic-systematic model of persuasion with user interface literature to examine how website interactivity influences processing of anti-smoking messages and smoking outcome beliefs. We conducted a pilot experiment with 112 current smokers and found that the interactive website elicited more heuristic processing among participants, which diminished their outcome beliefs and website attitudes. However, their positive interface perception functioned as a salient cue that led to greater systematic processing, which outperformed the negative impact of interactivity. It is recommended for future research to examine the effect of interactivity on persuasion with other types of interface features and health messages.

The influence of prior knowledge structures on website attitudes and behavioral intentions

The Persuasion Knowledge Model identifies three knowledge structures (i.e., topic knowledge, persuasion knowledge and agent knowledge) that an individual has prior to exposure to a persuasive attempt. This study extends these knowledge structures by distinguishing between objective and subjective topic knowledge conceptualizations. Specifically, this study examines empirically how an individual's different knowledge structures, held prior to exposure to a web-based intervention, influence subsequent website attitudes and behavioral intentions. The UK's National Health Service (NHS) Live Well website relevant to weight control is used as the web-based intervention in this study. Results suggest that agent (i.e., NHS) knowledge is the most important predictor of website attitudes, while both agent and persuasion knowledge are associated with behavioral intentions to take weight control actions. The results also reveal that the distinction between objective and subjective weight control knowledge is essential given their differential effects on agent and persuasion knowledge. Goal frames, as indicated by the choice between the “healthy eating” and “lose weight” Live Well intervention web pages, are found to moderate the identified Knowledge-Attitude-Behavior links. Theoretical contributions, implications for practice and public policy and future research directions are discussed.

Effect of information quality of employment website on attitude toward the website

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to develop and validate an empirical model examining the job seekers’ perception about information quality of corporate employment websites and its impact on their attitude toward the websites through perceived playfulness and usefulness. Furthermore, the study also examines the job seekers’ e-trust as condition under which these mechanisms generate website attitude.Design/methodology/approachA sample of 385 active job seekers was selected through systematic random sampling. A web-based questionnaire was used to elicit responses for the study. Structural equation modeling was used to validate the proposed model.FindingsResults indicate that the information quality dimensions positively influence perceived playfulness and perceived usefulness, which in turn evoke the website attitude. Furthermore, e-trust was found to moderate the above said relationships.Originality/valueThe study contribution lies in an empirical validation of a model showing the mechanisms and the condition through which the relationship exists between perceived information quality of e-recruitment websites and job seekers’ website attitude, and thus responds to the call for additional research that generalizes the influence of information characteristics of websites on job seekers’ behavioral outcomes.

Health Literacy and Online Health Information Processing: Unraveling the Underlying Mechanisms

The usefulness of the Internet as a health information source largely depends on the receiver’s health literacy. This study investigates the mechanisms through which health literacy affects information recall and website attitudes. Using 2 independent surveys addressing different Dutch health websites (N = 423 and N = 395), we tested the mediating role of cognitive load, imagination ease, and website involvement. The results showed that the influence of health literacy on information recall and website attitudes was mediated by cognitive load and imagination ease but only marginally by website involvement. Thus, to improve recall and attitudes among people with lower health literacy, online health communication should consist of information that is not cognitively demanding and that is easy to imagine.

How e-servicescapes affect customer online shopping intention: the moderating effects of gender and online purchasing experience

E-commerce is expanding at a tremendous rate, and the related internet pages, referred to as an electronic servicescapes (e-servicescapes) now have a significant presence in the business world. Nevertheless, understanding of e-servicescape attributes remains unclear, due to the limited empirical evidence that has been obtained and examined. Therefore, this study aims to describe the nature of e-servicescapes and investigate the relationships among website trustworthiness, website attitude, brand attitude, e-WOM intention, and purchase intention. Furthermore, this study also aims to identify the role of two contextual factors, namely online purchasing experience and gender differences, and their effects on the relationships among the e-servicescape dimensions, website trustworthiness and attitude. A total of 290 responses were collected from Taiwanese consumers using online-based questionnaires. SPSS and partial least square were used to analyze the collected data. The findings show that e-servicescape dimensions (aesthetic appeal, customization, usability, and financial security) have significant impacts on consumer attitudes and trust toward a website. In particular, women are more likely to experience more positive effects of e-servicescape on internal responses, such as website trustworthiness and attitude. In addition, purchase intention and e-WOM intention can be influenced through internal responses. Based on the results of this study, it is recommended that website designers aim to improve the usability, customization, and financial security dimensions of their sites, and especially the aesthetic appeal, so the effectiveness of their designs can be optimized. It is also necessary for e-retailers to raise the top-of-the-mind awareness for their brands, as this can enhance trust in the website. In addition, marketers may add the `social network' factor to offer a platform on which customers can connect with friends and share their experiences with the website and brand, as this may further enhance purchase intention.

Can online buddies and bandwagon cues enhance user participation in online health communities?

Individuals are more likely to obtain information and support from online health communities than offer help to other users (Fox & Jones, 2009; Preece, Nonnecke, & Andrews, 2004). The current study attempts to resolve this problem of under-contribution by proposing two theory-based persuasive strategies—a specific request in the form of an online buddy and collective community feedback in the form of bandwagon cues. A 2 (online buddy: absence vs. presence) by 2 (bandwagon cues: weak vs. strong) between-participants experiment tested the effects of these strategies on psychological outcomes, including perceived responsibility, social presence, sense of community, and perceived helpfulness, as well as their posting attitudes, posting intentions, and website attitudes, across two sessions. Contrary to expectations, we found that the assignment of online buddies in a health community forum leads to negative psychological and behavioral consequences, especially in the absence of strong community feedback. Furthermore, the online buddy feature interacts with bandwagon cues to activate different cognitive processes, leading to differential interpretation of the meanings of those bandwagon cues—either as compliments (in the presence of online buddy) or as unreliable feedback (in the absence of online buddy). Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

How customers respond to the assistive intent of an E-retailer?

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to investigate how an E-retailer's assistive intent impacts the perceptions and behaviours of online shoppers. The paper introduces a model that explains and examines the process through which the perceived assistive intent of an E-retailer leads to improved patronage intentions towards the web site.Design/methodology/approach– A survey on the most recent e-purchase experiences of more than 600 individuals in North America was conducted. Structural equation modelling based on EQS 6.1 was used to assess the measurement and structural models.Findings– Results indicated that customers’ impressions of an E-retailer's assistive intent positively impact web site patronage intentions both directly and indirectly through two key constructs of e-shopping, including web site involvement and web site attitudes.Research limitations/implications– The student sample is not representative of the population. Students are familiar with internet and feel less need for assistance online. Another shortcoming might be its settings. Since the survey was on the respondents’ most recent online experiences, the data quality depends on the amount and accuracy of the information they could retrieve from memory.Practical implications– The findings suggest that E-retailers would highly benefit from investing in the development of an assistive image. To do so, E-retailers should leverage the interactive nature of the web and provide supportive tools that facilitate the e-shopping task of clients.Social implications– Developing impressions of the site's assistive intent is highly rewarding for E-retailers that are new to the business.Originality/value– This paper represents the first effort to link the newly developed construct of E-retailer's assistive intent to two fundamental variables of online shopping, including web site involvement and web site attitudes. This work would also be an extension of the past studies that call for further investigation of the link between customer orientation and customer's loyalty intentions.

Investigating Electronic Word-of-Mouth Effects on Online Discussion Forums: The Role of Perceived Positive Electronic Word-of-Mouth Review Credibility

Electronic word of mouth (eWOM) has been an important factor influencing consumer purchase decisions. Using the ABC model of attitude, this study proposes a model to explain how eWOM affects online discussion forums. Specifically, we propose that platform (Web site reputation and source credibility) and customer (obtaining buying-related information and social orientation through information) factors influence purchase intentions via perceived positive eWOM review credibility, as well as product and Web site attitudes in an online community context. A total of 353 online discussion forum users in an online community (Fashion Guide) in Taiwan were recruited, and structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to test the research hypotheses. The results indicate that Web site reputation, source credibility, obtaining buying-related information, and social orientation through information positively influence perceived positive eWOM review credibility. In turn, perceived positive eWOM review credibility directly influences purchase intentions and also indirectly influences purchase intentions via product and Web site attitudes. Finally, we discuss the theoretical and managerial implications of the findings.

Consumer trust toward retail websites: Comparison between pure click and click-and-brick retailers

This paper examines the effects of security/privacy and social presence of retailers on consumer's e-trust in two different contexts: pure click and click and brick retailers. It explores how e-trust affects consumer attitudes toward websites and WOM. A conceptual model is tested using Structural Equation Modeling, on a random sample of 989 French customers. Results suggest that perceived website social presence and perceived security/privacy exert strong and positive impacts on website credibility and benevolence, which in turn directly influence website attitudes and indirectly influence word-of-mouth. One major difference between pure click and click-and-brick retailers is that the role of social presence in developing online benevolence is more important in the case of pure click retailers. The study concludes with managerial implications that may be useful in retail marketing.

The effects of portal website attitude and e-services on branding of e-stores

PurposeIncreasingly the company websites, along with the intermediary websites such as portal sites have become an integral component of the firms brand strategy. This study emphasises the importance of website service elements within portal sites and the impact on e-retailer brand attitudes and brand identity in an ever more competitive digital market-space. Design/methodology/approachThe research employs structural equation modeling technique to capture the relationship among website attitude, e-service quality, brand attitude and brand identity. FindingsThe results from the study indicate consumer attitude perceptions toward portal website and e-service elements combine to increase brand attitude and also brand identity for e-retailers. Originality/valueAlthough there has been a plethora of studies evaluating corporate websites and branding interactions there is limited comprehension of the impact of intermediary portal sites. Moreover, the literature is limited in validating the link between e-services with brand attitude and brand identity within a portal website context. This study develops a framework that highlights the important influence of e-services within portal websites and the impact on the firm’s brand.