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Google or BizRate? How search engines and comparison sites affect unplanned choices of online retailers

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  • Papatla, Purushottam
  • Liu, Feng (Oliver)

Abstract

Recent trends in online retailing suggest that "33% of buyers often or sometimes make unplanned purchases" [Annual Retail Consumer Survey Report. Jupiter Research 2003.]. Findings based on online retailing trends also suggest that both search engines and infomediaries are beginning to play a strong role in leading consumers to online retail sites. Additionally, some practitioner studies find that about half of online consumers use comparison shopping sites before choosing a retailer. Retailers therefore need to understand whether search engines or infomediaries play a stronger role in bringing unplanned consumers. This is the issue that we investigate in this research. Our results indicate that, retailer and consumer factors, category characteristics and the consumer's past relationship with the retailer do play a role in the store choice decisions of online consumers. Between search engines and infomediaries, however, search engines play a far stronger role than infomediaries. The effect is, in fact, more than twice that of infomediaries.

Suggested Citation

  • Papatla, Purushottam & Liu, Feng (Oliver), 2009. "Google or BizRate? How search engines and comparison sites affect unplanned choices of online retailers," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 62(11), pages 1039-1045, November.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:jbrese:v:62:y:2009:i:11:p:1039-1045
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    Cited by:

    1. Qiang Yan & Lingli Wang & Wenjing Chen & Junghoo Cho, 2016. "Study on the influencing factors of unplanned consumption in a large online promotion activity," Electronic Commerce Research, Springer, vol. 16(4), pages 453-477, December.
    2. Chang, Young Bong & Kwon, YoungOk, 2018. "Ambiguities in valuing information technology firms: Do internet searches help?," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 92(C), pages 260-269.
    3. Liu, Feng & Zhao, Shaoqiong & Li, Yang, 2017. "How many, how often, and how new? A multivariate profiling of mobile app users," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 38(C), pages 71-80.
    4. Suryandari, Retno Tanding & Paswan, Audhesh K., 2014. "Online customer service and retail type-product congruence," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 21(1), pages 69-76.

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