The Effect of Product Type on Consumer Preferences for Website Content Elements: An Empirical Study

摘要

This study attempts to demonstrate empirically how the importance of website contentnin online purchasing varies across 2 product categorizations: goods versus services andnhedonic versus utilitarian products. We conducted an experiment that showed that whennpurchasing services, customers value evaluative elements and risk-reducing content, whilenconsumers buying goods may be satisfied with fewer features. In addition, selling hedonicnproducts could be more effective when focusing on large and unique assortment. Websitesnselling utilitarian products, on the other hand, may profit from investing in instrumentalnwebsite content. The study validates the guiding role of product type in website design, andnsuggests that incorporating product tactics into design likely contributes to the developmentnof websites tailored to specific consumer groups.