‘Investigating the influence of online
product presentation formats on attitudes
toward hedonic web shopping’
Karsten de Vries
Department of Business & ICT, University of Groningen, Nettelbosje 2, 9747 AE Groningen, The Netherlands, S1839640@student.rug.nl
VERSION 1.1
Abstract
Introduction
Although many consumers buy on web shopping sites nowadays, the online shopping experiences of these consumers are often limited as de facto standard formats like static images and textual product information are used for presenting products, providing not the same experience as in offline stores. The existence of this limitation is remarkable because consumers often shop online just for the pleasure they derive from their online shopping experience (one-fifth to one-third of these consumers according to Wolfinbarger and Gilly (2001). Although past research showed the importance of hedonic shopping value (e.g. Babin, Darden, and Griffin (1994), Van der Heijden (2004), and more), no previous studies investigated the influence of online product presentation formats on hedonic web shopping in a comprehensive way.
This research examines this online shopping behavior further as it investigates how currently used and widely applied online product presentation formats influences consumers’ attitudes toward hedonic web shopping. Hedonic web shopping is measured through the constructs enjoyment and flow, while consumer behavior is explained by the Theory of Reasoned Action. Findings show that in order to create hedonic web shopping experiences online product presentation formats should be used that are perceived as interactive and vivid. The product video or rotatable product image formats, combined with human narration, can be used to achieve this. However, findings also show that for transactional based web shopping sites de facto standard formats are still more appropriate as these formats do not distract consumers from their buying objective, unlike the formats that should be used in hedonic web shopping sites. This research contributes both to the theoretical knowledge about hedonic web shopping as well as to the knowledge about the creation of such sites.
Theory
Hedonic web shopping
During web based online shopping consumers’ motivations are not only related to instrumental goals such as purchasing but on occasions to more affective goals (Sénécal, Gharbi, and Nantel, 2002), such as the fun and pleasure that consumers experience when shopping on the web. Consumers evaluate their online shopping experiences on two dimensions; utilitarian (related to instrumental goals) and hedonic (related to affective goals) shopping value (Babin, Darden, and Griffin, 1994). These consumers can during their online shopping experiences also elicit emotional and cognitive responses (Koufaris, 2002) as well as having several hedonic outcomes which comprise feelings of arousal, increased involvement, pleasure, spontaneity, and stimulation (Hartman and Samra, 2008). The term hedonic is explained by Van der Heijden (2004) as he states that “the term hedonic derives from the word hedonism, a term used to denote the doctrine that pleasure or happiness is the chief good in life” (p. 696).
When taking a more detailed look on these consumers of (hedonic) web shopping sites, they are in literature described as either “problem solvers” or “fun, fantasy, arousal…” (et cetera) seekers (Childers et al., 2001, p. 513). The same dichotomy as with the utilitarian and hedonic dimensions seems to apply here. Some consumers even shop primarily for hedonic reasons (Childers et al., 2001).
With regard to information systems, it is argued that hedonic information systems give users gratification from their usage (instead of being just instrumental), are related to home/leisure activities, are focused on fun, and encourage prolonged use. Interacting with these kinds of systems is seen as a goal in itself. Examples of such hedonic information systems include the “World Wide Web, systems used in the home or leisure environment, games, and game-based training versions of work-related information systems." (Van der Heijden, 2004, p. 696). Although the latter is work-related and therefore arguably utilitarian in nature, Venkatesh and Speier (2000) explain that such game-based training systems increase users' intrinsic motivation (corresponds to pleasure and satisfaction) which results in increased usage intentions.
‘Hedonic web shopping refers to consumers’ online shopping experiences in which they want to feel affective and emotional responses.’
Further research in the context of hedonic web shopping is relevant as some consumers might not purchase online because the online shopping experience lacks “emotional appeal and entertainment value.” (Kim and Forsythe, 2008, p. 918). Koufaris (2002) explains that the online shopping experience does not provide the same experience as that of “shopping in the physical world” … “because it is limited to mostly two-dimensional pictures and text.” (p. 208). Another possible explanation why the online shopping experience might lack emotional value is “the lack of direct experience”; “it limits the ability of consumers to judge product quality and leaves them less emotionally engaged in shopping experiences; hence, consumers are less willing to buy on the Internet.” (Jiang and Benbasat, 2004, p. 112). Jiang and Benbasat (2007a) describe the importance of product presentations to stimulate consumers emotionally and affectively as these authors state that “product offerings and product information are important antecedents of consumers’ satisfaction with their online shopping experience” (p. 454), and continue stating that “the amount and variety of product information are found to be key factors that influence website success” (p. 454). Similarly, Jiang and Benbasat (2007b) state that “the presentation of product information significantly affects consumers’ satisfaction with electronic shopping”. (p. 476). Although Jiang and Benbasat (2007a) examined the influence of some online product presentation formats on shopping enjoyment via interactivity and vividness, no previous studies investigated the influence of currently used and widely applied online product presentation formats on attitudes toward hedonic web shopping, even though it are these formats that limit consumers’ online shopping experiences (Koufaris, 2002). With regard to the importance of product presentations for hedonic web shopping experiences this research tries to overcome this research gap by providing insights into how online product presentation formats might influence consumers’ attitudes toward hedonic web shopping.
Online product presentation formats
formats that present the products themselves (visual) and formats that present information about these products (textual).
Online product presentation formats
Text Static product description
Textual
Audio Product description based on
human narration
Visual Image Static product image
Video Product video
VPE Rotatable product image
(visual control)
Table I - Online product presentation formats
Through the use of these online product presentation formats web shopping sites can create hedonic shopping value as the products or product information presented might induce affective and emotional responses, especially when they give consumers the ability to interact with the products directly as if the consumers were in an offline store. This makes online product presentation formats highly important for web shopping sites where the creation of hedonic shopping value plays an important role in getting people to revisit the web shopping site or make purchases on it.
The TRA model
Consumers’ attitudes toward shopping at hedonic web shopping sites can here be best described by using the TRA (Theory of Reasoned Action) model, argued as being “the most prominent model explaining consumer attitudes towards an action through behavioural intention”, “designed to explain virtually any human behaviour” (Hassanein and Head, 2007, p. 692). This model is pictured in figure I below:
Figure I - Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) model
Regarding the relations between attitudes and behavioral intentions, the relations between attitudes toward shopping at a website and (a) the intentions to return to the website and (b) the intentions to purchase from the website are of interest for this research. The former is of interest since retaining website visitors is argued to be “one of the most important objectives for e-commerce practioners today” (Van der Heijden, 2000, p. 2), while the latter is of interest because it is of major importance even for hedonic web shopping sites to have consumers purchasing products. These relations are supported in studies of Van der Heijden (2003) and Jiang and Benbasat (2007a). Based on this evidence the following 2 hypotheses are suggested:
H1: Attitudes toward shopping at a website positively influences intentions to return. H2: Attitudes toward shopping at a website positively influences intentions to purchase.
User beliefs
With regard to the hedonic and utilitarian shopping value dimensions as mentioned earlier, Wakefield and Whitten (2006) explain the role of user beliefs in this context clearly as they argue that “if users perceive mobile devices as purely functional, beliefs about the usefulness or the ease of use of the system may uniquely influence usage behavior in contrast to users that perceive the device as hedonic (e.g. pleasure-oriented).” (p. 292). They also state that in a hedonic context perceived enjoyment determines user behavior of technology. Although their article relates mainly to mobile computing, in contrast to the web shopping context of this research, the article is found to be relevant because the authors examined the effect intrinsic variables have on technology beliefs as well as how “the nature of the system being examined (e.g. utilitarian or hedonic)” (p. 293) influences these beliefs. Technology acceptance is according to these authors “bounded by the nature of the system being examined (e.g. utilitarian or hedonic) which may overshadow other user beliefs” (p. 293), something which is important to this research given its hedonic context.
computer users’ affective responses to computer usage” (p. 113), as it is “one of the key components for a compelling online shopping experience” (Jiang and Benbasat, 2004, p. 117), and because the “flow theory has been used in several studies of human-computer interaction as a framework for modeling enjoyment, user satisfaction, playfulness, engagement, absorption and other related states of involvement with computer software” (Pace, 2004, p. 328). Although previous studies regarding the acceptance of websites also incorporated other constructs like usefulness or ease of use, for example Childers et al. (2001) and Van der Heijden (2004), these constructs are not incorporated into this research as these are utilitarian measures (Hampton-Sosa and Koufaris, 2005), whereas enjoyment and flow are affective measures (Jiang and Benbasat, 2004), (Hampton-Sosa and Koufaris, 2005). These two constructs are defined into more details below.
Enjoyment
The enjoyment construct is in literature defined as “the extent to which the activity of using the computer is perceived to be enjoyable in its own right, apart from any performance consequences that may be anticipated.” (Van der Heijden, 2000, p. 8). A similar definition is given by Childers et al. (2001) as they define perceived enjoyment as “the extent to which the activity of using the technology is perceived to provide reinforcement in its own right, apart from any performance consequences that may be anticipated.” (p. 513). Wakefield and Whitten (2006) describe perceived enjoyment as an intrinsic motivator, as “a hedonic-oriented factor in which the activity of using technology is enjoyable apart from technology performance or other external user benefits” (p. 293), and internal to the user.
The relation between this construct and hedonic web shopping is described by Childers et al. (2001) as they state that “enjoyment embodies the hedonic aspect of shopping.” (p. 514). A similar statement is made by Massey, Khatri, and Montoya-Weiss (2007) as they mention that “hedonic sites aim to provide self-fulfilling value and enjoyment to a customer.” (p. 284).
Based on both the descriptions of enjoyment as well as the description of hedonic web shopping the definition of enjoyment, which will be used as a construct in this article, is defined as follows:
'Enjoyment is the extent to which feelings of pleasure are induced by the use of technology.'
might expect that this will positively influence their attitudes toward these websites. This relation between (perceived) enjoyment and attitudes toward shopping at a website is supported in the studies of Childers et al. (2001), Van der Heijden (2003), Hassanein and Head (2005, 2007) and Jiang and Benbasat (2007a). Based on this evidence the following hypothesis is suggested:
H3: Enjoyment positively influences attitudes toward shopping at a website.
Flow
Although flow is originally proposed as a construct for measuring consumers’ online experiences it was often applied to Internet navigation (Sénécal et al., 2002). However, Sénécal et al. (2002) used it to examine how “flow influences consumers’ hedonic and utilitarian online shopping experience evaluations” and their results “clearly indicate that the flow construct positively influences the hedonic value of consumers’ online shopping experiences”. (p. 483). In addition, their research also shows that the flow construct positively influences this hedonic shopping value only as it does not influence consumers’ utilitarian value. Similar to this finding, “products with a hedonic nature may tend to generate higher affective responses, such as flow, than products that are more functional.” (Jiang and Benbasat, 2004, p. 137).
Sénécal et al. (2002) define the concept of flow “as the state in which people are so intensely involved in an activity that nothing else seems to matter, the experience itself is so enjoyable that people will do it even at a great cost, for the sheer sake of doing it.” (p. 483). The relation between flow and enjoyment that can be derived from this definition is also mentioned by Van der Heijden (2000) as he states that “perceived relative enjoyment is related to the psychological concept of “flow”” (p. 14), as well as by Jiang and Benbasat (2004) as they describe that flow is “related to the customers’ feeling of entertainment.” (p. 136). However, even though such a strong relation between flow and enjoyment exists they are in this research seen as independent constructs as someone could enjoy his web shopping experience without being intensely involved.
Flow is also defined as “the holistic sensation that people feel when they act with total involvement.” (Koufaris et al., 2001, p. 118), (Koufaris, 2002, p. 207). Koufaris (2002) explains that “when people are in flow, they “shift into a common mode of experience when they become absorbed in their activity. This mode is characterized by a narrowing of the focus of awareness, so that irrelevant perceptions and thoughts are filtered out, by loss of self-consciousness, by a responsiveness to clear goals and unambiguous feedback, and by a sense of control over the environment”.” (p. 207).
Based on the descriptions mentioned above the definition of flow, which will be used as a construct in this article, is defined as follows:
‘Flow is in the context of computer-mediated environments a psychological state in which consumers act with total involvement, related to their feelings of entertainment.’
As flow “positively influences the hedonic value of consumers’ online shopping experiences” (Sénécal et al., 2002, p. 483) one might expect that flow will positively influence their attitudes toward these websites. This relation between flow and attitudes toward shopping at a website is also mentioned in the studies of Qiu and Benbasat (2005) and Guo and Poole (2009). Based on this the following hypothesis is suggested:
H4: Flow positively influences attitudes toward shopping at a website.
Antecedents of enjoyment and flow
Based on extensive literature review several antecedents of the constructs enjoyment and flow, together with their definitions and contexts, are identified and included in appendixes I and II. In order to identify these antecedents all relevant journals of the last ten years (2000-2009) in the field of Information Systems, E-commerce, and Computer-Human Interaction (namely ACM Transactions on Computer-Human Interaction, Communications of the ACM, European Journal of Information Systems, Information Systems Journal, Information Systems Research, International Journal of Electronic Commerce1, International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction, International Journal of Human-Computer Studies, Journal of management
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information systems, Journal of the Association for Information Systems2 and Management information systems quarterly) were examined.
Although multiple antecedents of these constructs were identified only (perceived) interactivity, (perceived) social presence, visual control, and vividness are of interest for this research, both because of their context (electronic commerce) as well as because they are used for online product presentation in previous studies (Jiang and Benbasat, 2004), (Hassanein and Head, 2005), (Hassanein and Head, 2007), (Jiang and Benbasat, 2007a). The antecedent functional control, also complying with these conditions, is excluded here as this research is focused on the online presentation of products without any functional attributes.
As this research is focused on online product presentation formats (perceived) interactivity and vividness are critical antecedents for this research. Interactivity for example gives the consumer the ability to play and interact with the products on the web shopping site, whereas vividness for example provides the consumer with a lively product demonstration. Visual control is also critical as it is of influence on how products are presented, especially for products that have a so-called three-dimensional visual appeal with appearance related attributes (Jiang and Benbasat, 2004). For example, it enables the consumer to view the product on the web shopping site from different viewing points. In addition, (perceived) social presence is highly important as some online product presentation formats might give the consumer the feeling that others are present (e.g. when human narration augments an online product video the consumer might have the feeling that the interaction with the web shopping site is personal). These antecedents will be described into more details below.
Interactivity
Interactivity is defined as
‘The extent to which consumers can participate in modifying the form or content of a mediated environment in real time’ (adapted from Jiang and Benbasat, 2007a)
In the context of online product presentation interactivity is by these authors described as the virtual interactions consumers have with products, and is referred to as object interactivity as it
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“deals directly with product features” (p. 456), helping consumers to produce mental images of its use. This in turn could positively influence consumers’ attitudes toward shopping online as well as their purchase intentions. (Jiang and Benbasat, 2007a).
Regarding interface designs that enhance interactivity, Jiang and Benbasat (2007a) state that “direct manipulation can be embedded within product presentations to allow consumers to manipulate online product images, i.e., to control perspectives and distances when examining a product’s appearance, or to sample a product’s features by pressing its functional buttons using a mouse” (p. 456) - these two forms of interactivity are described by Jiang and Benbasat (2004) as dimensions of virtual product experience, something which is further explained in this article when defining visual control.
As interactivity in this context produces mental images of how a product can be used one might expect that this will positively influence consumers’ perceptions of enjoyment. The relation between interactivity and enjoyment is supported in the studies of Jiang and Benbasat (2007a) and Cyr, Head, and Ivanov (2009). Based on this evidence the following hypothesis is suggested:
H5: Perceived interactivity positively influences consumers’ perceptions of enjoyment.
Based on these mental images produced by interactivity, which might also result in higher levels of involvement and entertainment value perceived, one might also expect that this will positively influence consumers’ perceptions of flow. The relation between interactivity and flow is also mentioned in the studies of Jiang and Benbasat (2004), Qiu and Benbasat (2005), and Guo and Poole (2009). Based on this the following hypothesis is suggested:
H6: Perceived interactivity positively influences consumers’ perceptions of flow.
Vividness
Vividness is defined as
that “a vivid product presentation exposes consumers to more information cues about a product and stimulates more sensory channels than a pallid product presentation” (p. 456), and continue stating that “a sense of vividness of product presentations” (p. 456) is mostly created through the use of multimedia. Vivid product presentations are described as attracting and holding consumers’ attention, as well as “to excite the imagination to the extent that it is (a) emotionally interesting, (b) concrete and imagery provoking, and (c) proximate in a sensory, temporal, or spatial way” (Jiang and Benbasat, 2007a, p. 456).
As vividness in this context “exposes consumers to more information cues about a product” (p. 456) (i.e. gives the consumer more product information), stimulates more sensory channels of these consumers and produces emotional responses one might expect that this will positively influence consumers’ perceptions of enjoyment. The relation between vividness and enjoyment is supported in the study of Jiang and Benbasat (2007a). Based on this evidence the following hypothesis is suggested:
H7: Perceived vividness positively influences consumers’ perceptions of enjoyment.
Because vivid product presentations will attract and hold the attention of consumers one might also expect that vividness will positively influence consumers’ perceptions of flow. Based on this expectation the following hypothesis is suggested:
H8: Perceived vividness positively influences consumers’ perceptions of flow.
Social presence
Social presence is defined as
‘The extent to which a medium allows consumers to experience others as being psychologically present’ (adapted from Hassanein and Head, 2007)
formats (Hassanein and Head, 2007). For example, Hassanein and Head (2007) manipulated high levels of social presence on their experimental web shopping sites through the use of product images in which people worn the clothes that were for sell in emotional and dynamic settings.
As Hassanein and Head (2007) state that the hedonic shopping value is “directly influenced by social interactions with other humans” (p. 704) one might expect that social presence will positively influence consumers’ perceptions of enjoyment. The relation between social presence and enjoyment is supported in the study of Hassanein and Head (2007). Based on this evidence the following hypothesis is suggested:
H9: Perceived social presence positively influences consumers’ perceptions of enjoyment.
The social interactions with other humans that consumers might experience due to social presence are likely to hold their attention, based on which one might expect that social presence will positively influence consumers' perceptions of flow. Based on this expectation the following hypothesis is suggested:
H10: Perceived social presence positively influences consumers’ perceptions of flow.
Visual control
Visual control is defined as
‘Visual control enables consumers to manipulate web product images as well as to view products from various angles and distances’ (adapted from Jiang and Benbasat, 2004)
Enabling consumers to manipulate product images provides them according to Jiang and Benbasat (2004) with more product information than will be the case with static images.
“visual control can be beneficial if the key attributes of the product are predominantly based on appearance” as well as that “visual control is effective for those products that have a three-dimensional visual appeal”. (p. 137). This VPE technology enables (through the use of QuickTime, Flash, et cetera) consumers “to sample and experience products virtually, via Web interfaces” (Jiang and Benbasat, 2004, p. 112). VPE also enables consumers to verify their predictions, and/or make inferences based on the interactions they have with virtual products (Jiang and Benbasat, 2007b). Jiang and Benbasat (2004) also state that VPE could improve consumers’ product knowledge, their attitudes toward brands, as well as their purchase intentions.
As visual control gives the consumer more product information/knowledge and allows them to experience products virtually through the manipulation of product images one might expect that this will positively influence their perceptions of enjoyment. A similar relation (between "substitutability of personal examination of product information" (p. 518) and shopping enjoyment) is supported in the study of Childers et al. (2001). Based on this evidence the following hypothesis is suggested:
H11: Perceived visual control positively influences consumers’ perceptions of enjoyment.
When using visual control it is likely that consumers will hold their attention as they experience products virtually, something which is also argued by Kim and Forsythe (2008) as they state that sensory-enabling technologies create customer involvement. In addition, it is also likely that consumers feel in control as visual control allows them to manipulate product images and determine their viewing points toward these products (Jiang and Benbasat, 2004). Therefore, one might expect that visual control will positively influence consumers’ perceptions of flow. The relation between visual control and flow is supported3 in the study of Jiang and Benbasat (2004). Based on this evidence the following hypothesis is suggested:
H12: Perceived visual control positively influences consumers’ perceptions of flow.
Ambiance
Although the literature reviewed (see appendixes I and II) did not reveal any antecedent of either enjoyment or flow with regard to the ambiance consumers perceive during their web shopping
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experiences, ambiance (defined here as ‘The extent to which consumers feel that the online environment is conducive’) is added here as the online shopping environment could positively influence these constructs when consumers feel relaxed, comfortable, or at ease in them. For example, when consumers feel relaxed in their online shopping environment they might shop primarily for hedonic reasons. Based on this expectation it is hypothesized that:
H13: Perceived ambiance positively influences consumers’ perceptions of enjoyment. H14: Perceived ambiance positively influences consumers’ perceptions of flow.
Levels of online product presentation formats
Online product presentation formats, consisting of both textual and visual formats (see table I), might positively influence the antecedents of enjoyment and flow examined in this article as will be described into more details below. Regarding these formats, Jiang and Benbasat (2007a) state that “the current de facto standard for presenting products involves the use of textual information and static images”. (p. 454). However, as Jiang and Benbasat (2007b) argue that “text and static pictures are insufficient to present rich product information, particularly for experience attributes” (p. 476), text and images are categorized here as low textual and visual formats.
In order to alleviate the inability to present rich product information textual and visual formats such as video, human narration (used to augment video) and VPE could be used (Jiang and Benbasat, 2007b), based on which these formats are categorized here as highly textual and visual formats. Because of their ability to present rich product information one might expect that they lead to higher levels of the antecedents examined than with low textual and visual formats, something which is further explained below.
Highly textual formats
H15: Highly textual formats, compared to lower ones, lead to higher levels of perceived vividness. H16: Highly textual formats, compared to lower ones, lead to higher levels of perceived social presence.
H17: Highly textual formats, compared to lower ones, lead to higher levels of perceived ambiance.
Although human narration has nothing to do with visual product representations as it presents product information, and is therefore arguably not related to visual control, highly textual formats might lead to higher levels of perceived visual control than when using low ones as consumers could spend more time on these visual product representations when the product information is narrated by a human voice (e.g. consumers no longer have to switch between the static text and the visual product representation, but can focus entirely on the product while listening to the product description). Of course, this assumption only applies if the product is visually represented. Based on this the following hypothesis is suggested:
H18: Highly textual formats, compared to lower ones, lead to higher levels of perceived visual control.4
Highly visual formats
In addition to the influence of highly textual formats as mentioned above, highly visual formats (product videos or rotatable product images) might lead to higher levels of perceived interactivity and visual control as consumers deal directly with product features, control perspectives (e.g. by rotating the product), and distances (e.g. by using a zoom-in/out function) when examining and playing with products. These visual product representations might also lead to higher levels of perceived vividness as product videos and rotatable product images can reveal more information about the product as consumers have more viewing points toward these products. Based on these arguments the following hypotheses are suggested:
H19: Highly visual formats, compared to lower ones, lead to higher levels of perceived interactivity.
H20: Highly visual formats, compared to lower ones, lead to higher levels of perceived visual control.
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H21: Highly visual formats, compared to lower ones, lead to higher levels of perceived vividness.
Figure II - Research model
Methodology
Research Objective and Model
The objective of this research is to examine the influence of several online product presentation formats that are currently used and widely applied in web shopping sites on attitudes toward hedonic web shopping. These online product presentation formats can be divided into visual formats, namely: no image, a static product image, a product video, and a rotatable product image, and textual formats: a static product description and a product description based on human narration. The proposed research model is pictured below as figure II:
With regard to the research model it is of importance to explain here that the relationships among the two constructs or user beliefs (enjoyment and flow), attitudes, and intentions to return or purchase as displayed above are based on the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) as described in the theory section.
The five antecedents of enjoyment and flow are, as mentioned earlier, based on the literature review as included in appendixes I and II.
Experimental setting
These participants were invited by e-mail after which they were randomly assigned to one of the treatment cells in order to avoid confounding effects.
The above mentioned hedonic web shopping sites are based on the case of Geef Gevoel, a new online gift shop for corporate gifts. “Geef Gevoel is envisioned to be an online store with various gift packs predominantly aiming at the Dutch corporate market in order to provide it with corporate gifts which can be given to business acquaintances” (source: Geef Gevoel’s business proposal). Geef Gevoel’s web shopping site and gift packs are hedonic in nature as the business wants to convey a certain feeling/emotion through them. Because it emphasizes on hedonic web shopping experiences (it is important that its consumers have a pleasurable experience) the case and the hedonic web shopping site of Geef Gevoel are suitable for this experiment. In addition, as Geef Gevoel has just started doing business none of the participants will possess previous experiences with the company, making it even more suitable for the experiment.
Because the attributes of Geef Gevoel’s products (the gift packs) are mostly experience attributes, i.e. product attributes of which the evaluation is not effective through secondhand sources but only possible through using the products directly (Jiang and Benbasat, 2004), these products are expected to be extremely suitable to be displayed using visual control, as well as to be examined with varying levels of interactivity, vividness, social presence, and ambiance. In addition, these products also have three-dimensional visual appeal and appearance related attributes as consumers likely want to know how their gift will look and which products it contains. Pictures of these gift packs are included in appendix III.
For this experiment eight hedonic web shopping sites of Geef Gevoel were created which all offer the same three gift packs and have the same design. In order to ensure the varying levels of interactivity, vividness, visual control, social presence, and ambiance both the textual and visual formats were manipulated for each web shop according to the treatment cells as pictured in table II (see next section). Along with this overview an explanation is given of the different manipulations done to ensure the desired levels of the various antecedents.
they were asked to carefully examine the different corporate gift packs (without having a time limit) and were allowed to make simulated purchases as they would on a real web shopping site.
After having visited the hedonic web shopping site the participants were, using a questionnaire, asked about their feelings toward their web shopping experience (the option to skip any of the questions (all using a seven-point Likert scale, see appendix IV for the survey questions) was not given). During their shopping all page clicks were recorded using tracking and monitoring software from clickdensity.com which produces heat maps. Furthermore, because participants had to log in at the start of their visit and log out when they were finished with their task the time they spent on the hedonic web shopping site was recorded as well as whether they bought any of the gift packs. In addition to these subjective (questionnaire) and objective (clickdensity.com/site log) data, some participants also gave feedback by e-mail.
Experimental design
This experiment uses a 2 [Textual formats: Static product description and Product description based on human narration] x 4 [Visual formats: No image, Static product image, Product video, and Rotatable product image] between-subjects factorial design, which is displayed in table II.
Visual
Textual No image
Static product
image Product video
Rotatable product image Static product description Treatment cell 1 Low textual Low visual (no image with text) Treatment cell 3 Low textual Low visual
(image with text)
Treatment cell 5 Low textual Highly visual
(video with text)
Treatment cell 7 Low textual Highly visual
(VPE with text)
Product description based on human narration Treatment cell 2 Highly textual Low visual (no image with audio) Treatment cell 4 Highly textual Low visual (image with audio) Treatment cell 6 Highly textual Highly visual (video with audio) Treatment cell 8 Highly textual Highly visual
(VPE with audio)
Table II - Between-subjects experimental design
Experimental hedonic web shopping sites
textual and visual formats on its product page (see table II). The different product pages of these hedonic web shopping sites are included in appendix V in order of the treatment cell number.
Manipulations of low textual and visual formats
The hedonic web shopping sites used in this experiment that have low textual formats present all product descriptions (both the utilitarian as well as the hedonic parts) using static text only (see the red areas in figures XII, XIV, XVI, and XVIII in appendix V). In addition, the hedonic web shopping sites with low visual formats have either no image at all (see figures XII and XIII in appendix V) or have four different product images (see the green areas in figures XIV and XV in appendix V), each taken from a different viewpoint. The image format gives the consumer the option to enlarge one of the images by clicking on the corresponding thumbnail. Another option given is to view the gift pack on full screen by pressing the full screen button.
Manipulations of highly textual and visual formats
Results
Data Sample
This experiment included 173 participants, whereof 13 responses were discarded for being outliners, resulting in a sample size of 160 participants (ranging from 18 to 22 participants per treatment cell). An overview of the profile of these 160 participants is based on the demographic data given in the table below:
Characteristic Statistic Gender Male 48,1% Female 51,9% Age Younger than 18 0,6% 18 – 29 57,5% 30 – 49 27,5% 50 – 64 13,8% Older than 64 0,6%
Household income (on a yearly basis)
Less than €30.000 47,5% €30.000 - €49.999 20,6% €50.000 - €75.000 11,9% More than €75.000 13,8% Unwilling to disclose 6,3% Educational attainment Secondary school 3,8% MBO 9,4% HBO 41,3% WO 45,0% Unwilling to disclose 0,6%
Have you lived in the province of Groningen? If so, how long?
More than 10 years 14,4%
5 - 10 years 6,3%
3 - 5 years 10,0%
1 - 3 years 8,1%
Less than half a year 3,8%
I have never lived in the province of Groningen 57,5%
How often do you shop online?
More than once per week 0,6%
At least once per month 25,6%
At least once per 3 months 29,4%
At least once per 6 months 21,9%
At least once per year 10,6%
Less than once per year 10,0%
How often do you buy a (corporate) gift packet?
More than once per month 0%
At least once per month 0%
At least once per 3 months 1,3%
At least once per 6 months 1,3%
At least once per 9 months 0%
At least once per year 6,3%
Less than once per year 91,3%
Table III - demographic data (from all 160 participants)
With regard to these demographic data there are no statistically significant differences among the different treatment cells.
Data Analysis
subjective information, missing objective information about actual consumer shopping behavior, for example the number of clicks on textual, visual, and audio elements for each experimental hedonic web shopping site to identify allocation of attentional resources, the number of gift packs sold per site to identify intentions to purchase, and the average time consumers spend per site. All these objective information are as mentioned earlier recorded during the experiment and therefore analyzable. The clicking behavior of consumers is analyzed using reports produced by clickdensity.com (these reports (so-called heat maps) are included in appendix VI) which recorded all consumers’ page clicks during the experiment, whereas the number of gift packs sold and the average time spend are analyzed based on log data created by the experimental hedonic web shopping sites themselves. Analysis of their shopping behavior also includes, although subjective, evaluation of the feedback participants gave after having participated in the experiment as it might provide additional insights.
Results of the impact of textual and visual treatments on antecedents of
enjoyment and flow
Tests of Between-Subjects Effects
Source
Dependent Variable
Type III Sum
of Squares df Mean Square F Sig.
Ambiance ,071 1 ,071 ,052 ,819 ,000 ,052 ,056 Interactivity 12,169 3 4,056 2,576 ,056 ,048 7,728 ,625 Vividness 5,273 3 1,758 1,199 ,312 ,023 3,598 ,317 VisualControl 97,244 3 32,415 21,456 ,000 ,297 64,368 1,000 SocialPresence 2,264 3 ,755 ,812 ,489 ,016 2,436 ,223 Visual Ambiance 3,491 3 1,164 ,857 ,465 ,017 2,570 ,233 Interactivity 2,987 3 ,996 ,632 ,595 ,012 1,897 ,180 Vividness 8,610 3 2,870 1,958 ,123 ,037 5,875 ,497 VisualControl 12,837 3 4,279 2,832 ,040 ,053 8,497 ,671 SocialPresence 3,643 3 1,214 1,307 ,274 ,025 3,920 ,344 Textual * Visual Ambiance 5,440 3 1,813 1,335 ,265 ,026 4,005 ,350 Interactivity 239,354 152 1,575 Vividness 222,769 152 1,466 VisualControl 229,633 152 1,511 SocialPresence 141,275 152 ,929 Error Ambiance 206,466 152 1,358 Interactivity 2541,348 160 Vividness 2409,900 160 VisualControl 2058,596 160 SocialPresence 2045,260 160 Total Ambiance 1543,518 160 Interactivity 255,554 159 Vividness 236,807 159 VisualControl 340,122 159 SocialPresence 149,501 159 Corrected Total Ambiance 215,352 159
a. R Squared = ,063 (Adjusted R Squared = ,020)
b. Computed using alpha = ,05
c. R Squared = ,059 (Adjusted R Squared = ,016)
d. R Squared = ,325 (Adjusted R Squared = ,294)
e. R Squared = ,055 (Adjusted R Squared = ,012)
f. R Squared = ,041 (Adjusted R Squared = -,003)
The Tests of Between-Subjects Effects shows that none of the textual formats has a statistically significant influence on the antecedents of either enjoyment or flow. However, visual formats seem to have a strong effect on interactivity (F(3) = 2.576; P = .056) and an extremely statistically significant effect on visual control (F(3) = 21.456; P = .000). Based on these first results it seems that only visual formats have an influence on consumers' hedonic web shopping experiences.
Dunnett’s t-test
Multiple Comparisons
Dunnett t (2-sided)a
95% Confidence Interval
Dependent Variable (I) Cell (J) Cell
Mean Difference
(I-J) Std. Error Sig. Lower Bound Upper Bound
No Image x Audio No Image x Textual ,04510 ,412749 1,000 -1,04387 1,13407
Images x Textual No Image x Textual ,14280 ,407134 1,000 -,93135 1,21696
Images x Audio No Image x Textual ,33895 ,402012 ,928 -,72169 1,39960
Video x Textual No Image x Textual ,10677 ,402012 1,000 -,95387 1,16742
Video x Audio No Image x Textual -,12807 ,397322 1,000 -1,17633 ,92020
Rotation x Textual No Image x Textual -,24453 ,397322 ,986 -1,29279 ,80374
Interactivity
Rotation x Audio No Image x Textual -,75530 ,393009 ,249 -1,79219 ,28159
No Image x Audio No Image x Textual ,45545 ,398193 ,761 -,59511 1,50602
Images x Textual No Image x Textual -,22335 ,392775 ,991 -1,25962 ,81292
Images x Audio No Image x Textual -,20718 ,387834 ,994 -1,23041 ,81606
Video x Textual No Image x Textual ,19254 ,387834 ,996 -,83069 1,21578
Video x Audio No Image x Textual -,62233 ,383309 ,417 -1,63363 ,38896
Rotation x Textual No Image x Textual -,22415 ,383309 ,989 -1,23545 ,78715
Vividness
Rotation x Audio No Image x Textual -,12647 ,379149 1,000 -1,12679 ,87385
No Image x Audio No Image x Textual ,74010 ,404281 ,294 -,32652 1,80673
Images x Textual No Image x Textual -1,18985* ,398780 ,019 -2,24196 -,13773
Images x Audio No Image x Textual -1,80245* ,393764 ,000 -2,84133 -,76357
Video x Textual No Image x Textual -,88386 ,393764 ,129 -1,92274 ,15502
VisualControl
Rotation x Textual No Image x Textual -1,62009* ,389170 ,000 -2,64685 -,59333
Rotation x Audio No Image x Textual -1,60456* ,384946 ,000 -2,62018 -,58895
No Image x Audio No Image x Textual ,47212 ,317102 ,509 -,36450 1,30874
Images x Textual No Image x Textual -,20809 ,312787 ,978 -1,03333 ,61714
Images x Audio No Image x Textual ,02632 ,308853 1,000 -,78854 ,84118
Video x Textual No Image x Textual ,21330 ,308853 ,973 -,60155 1,02816
Video x Audio No Image x Textual -,01708 ,305249 1,000 -,82243 ,78827
Rotation x Textual No Image x Textual -,26667 ,305249 ,916 -1,07202 ,53868
SocialPresence
Rotation x Audio No Image x Textual ,25973 ,301936 ,922 -,53688 1,05634
No Image x Audio No Image x Textual -,33314 ,383346 ,918 -1,34454 ,67825
Images x Textual No Image x Textual -,19198 ,378130 ,995 -1,18962 ,80565
Images x Audio No Image x Textual ,05157 ,373373 1,000 -,93351 1,03665
Video x Textual No Image x Textual ,25256 ,373373 ,976 -,73253 1,23764
Video x Audio No Image x Textual -,02970 ,369017 1,000 -1,00329 ,94389
Rotation x Textual No Image x Textual -,55490 ,369017 ,498 -1,52849 ,41869
Ambiance
Rotation x Audio No Image x Textual -,01411 ,365011 1,000 -,97713 ,94891
Based on observed means.
The error term is Mean Square(Error) = 1,358.
a. Dunnett t-tests treat one group as a control, and compare all other groups against it.
*. The mean difference is significant at the ,05 level.
Table V - Dunnett’s t-test
The Dunnett’s t-test shows regarding to interactivity, vividness, social presence, and ambiance that none of the treatment cells is significantly different compared to the control group T1 - No Image x Textual. However, with regard to visual control there are statistically significant differences between T6 (i.e. treatment cell 6) (P = .000), T7 (i.e. treatment cell 7) (P = .000), and T8 (i.e. treatment cell 8) (P = .000) and the control group T1. Based on these results support is found for H20 (except for Video x Textual) - highly visual formats lead to higher levels of perceived visual control than lower ones.
In addition to these results, T8 shows a relatively strong effect on interactivity (P = .249, whereas other treatment cells are above .9), and T6 shows a relatively strong effect on vividness (P = .417, whereas other treatment cells are above .7).
Profile Plots
Figure III - Estimated Marginal Means of Interactivity
Figure IV - Estimated Marginal Means of Vividness
General trend: except for video product presentation, human narration makes online product presentations less vivid. Video product presentations will be seen as far more vivid when combined with human narration.
Figure V – Estimated Marginal Means of Visual Control
Figure VI - Estimated Marginal Means of Social Presence
General trend: except for video product presentation, human narration negatively influences the level of social presence perceived. Video product presentations are seen as having higher levels of social presence when combined with human narration.
Figure VII - Estimated Marginal Means of Ambiance
Validation of the PLS model
Figure VIII - SmartPLS Model
Hypothesis Causal path Z-value P-value Coefficient Supported
H1 Attitudes - Intentions to return 39,171 < 0.001 0,781 Yes, extremely statistically significant H2 Attitudes - Intentions to purchase 30,624 < 0.001 0,706 Yes, extremely statistically significant
H3 Enjoyment - Attitudes 21,427 < 0.001 0,643 Yes, extremely statistically significant
H4 Flow - Attitudes 4,337 < 0.001 0,181 Yes, extremely statistically significant
H5 Perceived interactivity - enjoyment 2,271 0.0231 0,085 Yes, statistically significant
H6 Perceived interactivity - flow 4,646 < 0.001 0,226 Yes, extremely statistically significant H7 Perceived vividness - enjoyment 7,778 < 0.001 0,334 Yes, extremely statistically significant
H8 Perceived vividness - flow 2,962 0.0031 0,167 Yes, very statistically significant
H9 Perceived social presence -
enjoyment
5,575 < 0.001 0,253 Yes, extremely statistically significant
H10 Perceived social presence - flow 5,231 < 0.001 0,314 Yes, extremely statistically significant H11 Perceived visual control -
enjoyment
0,829 0.4071 -0,019 No, not statistically significant
H12 Perceived visual control - flow 0,573 0.5666 0,018 No, not statistically significant
H13 Perceived ambiance - enjoyment 7,795 < 0.001 0,303 Yes, extremely statistically significant
H14 Perceived ambiance - flow 0,370 0.7114 0,011 No, not statistically significant
Log data
Webshop Total # of clicks Links Audio Visual Start Date End Date
Product page 1 P.P. 2 P.P. 3 P.P. 1 P.P. 2 P.P. 3 P.P. 1 P.P. 2 P.P. 3
Treatment cell 1 64 30 22 12 - - - - March 7, 2011 May 17, 2011
Treatment cell 2 58 17 10 12 6 6 7 - - - March 10, 2011 May 14, 2011
Treatment cell 3 132 18 14 3 - - - 42 25 30 March 7, 2011 May 5, 2011
Treatment cell 4 188 23 8 6 10 0 0 53 42 46 March 2, 2011 May 9, 2011
Treatment cell 5 44 4 2 0 - - - 20 10 8 March 7, 2011 May 2, 2011
Treatment cell 6 66 10 2 4 8 6 6 19 9 2 March 5, 2011 May 8, 2011
Treatment cell 7 87 18 7 1 - - - 24 26 11 March 2, 2011 May 10, 2011
Treatment cell 8 189 24 14 8 21 8 9 58 20 27 March 5, 2011 May 9, 2011
Table VII - Log data; # of clicks per treatment cell, per online product presentation format (blue numbers are not accurate as their were more clicks than this number showed by clickdensity.com) Treatment cell # of consumers that bought a
gift pack
# of gift packs sold Average time spend (in minutes)
T1 (No Images x Textual) 6 8 3,8
T2 (No Images x Audio) 8 8 3,9
T3 (Images x Textual) 6 6 3,8 T4 (Images x Audio) 3 3 4,4 T5 (Video x Textual) 3 3 2,9 T6 (Video x Audio) 1 1 3,3 T7 (Rotation x Textual) 4 4 3,1 T8 (Rotation x Audio) 4 4 3,7
Table VIII - Log data; # of gift packs sold per treatment cell & time spend per treatment cell Based on the reports of clickdensity.com, included in appendix VI, this research found that when their is no product visualization consumers click in general more often on the links to the detailed product pages than when the products are visually presented, especially when there is also no audio. This consumer behavior is also displayed in table VII above. There are two possible explanations for this finding; firstly, when products are not visually represented consumers are not distracted by these representations and able to spend more time reading product information. Secondly, it could be that these consumers read more product information in order to compensate the lack of product information that would otherwise be presented visually or narrated using the audio functionality.
or buy. Secondly, as mentioned above these consumers might have read more product information resulting in greater intentions to purchase (which takes more time).
Feedback from participants
I received the following feedback on the experiment by mail:
Feedback related to the hedonic web shopping sites Hedonic/Utilitarian aspect
The width of this web shopping site is too small when using high resolution (e.g. 1280x1024 px). Utilitarian There is no link from the detailed product page back to the product page (only through the back
button of the browser) on this web shopping site.
Utilitarian
You need to click a lot on this web shopping site. Utilitarian
It was hard to find the different products on this web shopping site. Utilitarian
The Dutch human voice (when the products are displayed in combination with human narration) speaks without any emotion on this web shopping site.
Hedonic
There is no information regarding the completion of my transaction on this web shopping site. Utilitarian
There are terms on this web shopping site which are unclear to me. Utilitarian
The full screen button is too small on this web shopping site. Utilitarian
It is on this web shopping site not clear to me whether the price includes shipping costs (which raises suspicion to me).
Utilitarian
There are no payment terms on this web shopping site. Utilitarian
Table IX - Feedback on the experiment, related to the hedonic web shopping sites
Feedback related to the products offered Hedonic/Utilitarian aspect
The gift packs are really expensive. Utilitarian
Table X - Feedback on the experiment, related to the products offered
This feedback might have negatively influenced consumers’ hedonic web shopping experiences, as utilitarian aspects must be at a certain minimum level will consumers be able to truly enjoy the hedonic aspects. For example, consumers might not enjoy their interactions with the products when the loading times on the web shopping site are too long. However, as the above mentioned comments are often just reported only once one can assume that its influence on this experiment is minimal as web shopping sites rarely exactly match with all preferences of its consumers.
Discussion
visual control has no statistically significant effect on flow or enjoyment as discussed below the rather strong effects of T8 (Rotation x Audio) on interactivity and T6 (Video x Audio) on vividness become highly interesting as they do influence consumers' perceptions of enjoyment and flow, their attitudes, as well as their intentions to return and purchase. Other striking results from the experiment are that consumers using low textual and/or visual formats read more product information, stay longer on the web shopping site, and purchase more. In the discussion below possible explanations are given for the unsupported hypotheses.
Visual control
Regarding visual control (H11 and H12) it is remarkable that even though Jiang and Benbasat (2004) found a relationship between visual control and flow, this research found no evidence for perceived visual control having a statistically significant effect on either flow or enjoyment. During the experiment visual control might not have contributed to consumers’ perceptions of enjoyment and flow as these consumers did not need to manipulate visual product representations or their viewing points to these products as they already have enough information about the different gift packs. Another possible explanation might be that these consumers do not need all the product information available as they do not have to give one of these gift packs for real. It could be that, if these consumers had to give one of these gift packs to a business acquaintance, visual control was more important to them and would have held their attention longer. Besides these explanations related to product information, unfamiliarity with VPE technologies might also be an explanation as consumers are more familiar with online product presentation formats that have either no images or static images combined with textual information, as these are the de facto standard formats (Jiang and Benbasat, 2007a). Due to this unfamiliarity visual control might negatively influence their feelings of being in control, which in turn result in a lower perception of flow.
Ambiance
that does not require its consumers to be actively engaged in their shopping activities in order to enjoy their shopping.
Highly textual and visual formats
Results of the Dunnett's t-test show that the treatment cells with highly textual formats do not statistically significant differ from the control group T1 - No Image x Textual regarding to interactivity, vividness, social presence, and ambiance, and thus no support is found for hypotheses 15, 16, and 17. These results also show that the treatment cells with highly visual formats do not statistically significant differ from the control group regarding interactivity, vividness, social presence, and ambiance, and thus also no support is found for hypotheses 19 and 21. That consumers do not perceive statistically significant differences between the different treatment cells regarding interactivity, vividness, social presence, and ambiance might be because consumers using low textual and/or visual formats read more product information as is revealed by the log data. Their focus on the product information, instead on for instance the visual product representation, could result in similar perceptional levels of interactivity, vividness, social presence, and ambiance.
Theoretical contributions
This research contributes to the knowledge about hedonic web shopping as it found that (when selling products with predominantly appearance related attributes) online product presentation formats could result in consumers experience affective and emotional responses when these formats increase their perceptions of interactivity, vividness, social presence, and ambiance. However, although the online product presentation formats with either rotatable product images or product videos, both combined with human narration, have a rather strong effect on respectively interactivity and vividness, these effects were not statistically significant.
also called for an identification of “some interesting patterns about consumers’ allocation of attentional resources” (p. 493), which is also responded by this research as it, based on the recording of all page clicks, found that in general more product information will be read when there is no visual product representation. In addition to these design considerations, this research combined during its experiment every visual online product presentation format examined with either static product descriptions or product descriptions based on human narration, unlike previous studies (Jiang and Benbasat, 2007a, 2007b) where only video formats were accompanied with narration. Thanks to these new combinations results show the importance of human narration for video product presentations, as is displayed on the profile plots (see figures III - VII) in the results section.
Another important contribution of this research is to the knowledge about visual control as the findings show that visual control has no statistically significant influence on either enjoyment or flow when presenting products with predominantly appearance related attributes, unlike the study of Jiang and Benbasat (2004) which found a relation between visual control and flow (focused on the presentation of products in which functional attributes played a major role (sport watches)). In addition, this research also found that visual control can be positively influenced through the use of highly textual and visual formats (except for No Image x Audio regarding textual formats and Video x Textual regarding visual formats). Based on the visual control Profile Plot (see figure V) one can even derive that perceptions of visual control are rather high as long as products are presented visually.
Findings of this research also contribute to the knowledge about flow as it found statistically significant evidence for the relation between flow and attitudes toward shopping at a website (H4), as well as for the relations between perceived interactivity, vividness, or social presence and perceptions of flow (H6, H8, H10).
about enjoyment as it found statistically significant evidence for the relation between perceived ambiance and perceptions of enjoyment (H13).
Practical contributions
Because visual control has, according to the findings of this research, no influence on consumers’ hedonic web shopping experiences, web shopping site developers should in order to create such an experience use formats that positively influence the antecedents that are of positive influence on either enjoyment or flow. Given the strong effect of treatment cell 8 (Rotation x Audio) on interactivity (see table V and the interactivity Profile Plot as displayed in figure III), as well as the statistically significant positive influence of perceived interactivity on perceptions of enjoyment and flow, rotatable product images with product descriptions based on human narration could be used. However, as rotatable product images are still rather expensive, require a lot of effort from developers, and result in low perceptions of social presence and ambiance treatment cell 6 (Video x Audio) seems according to table V and the vividness Profile Plot (see figure IV) a good alternative, especially when there are few resources available.
In addition, the advice above only applies when the objective is to have a hedonic web shop, for example to get consumers stay longer on the hedonic web shopping site in order to generate more advertising revenue, or for example to introduce a new product in which consumers’ product experience is most important like car dealers often do on their sites. However, when the web shopping site is transactional based, i.e. having selling products as its primary objective like for instance amazone.com, web shopping site developers could consider using de facto standard formats as consumers are more familiar to them, will read more product information, and are more inclined to buy as is also mentioned in the results section. Web shopping site developers of transactional based sites should take care that they do not distract consumers from their objective with highly animated and too showy online product presentation formats.
Limitations
participants from Groningen than participants from other provinces. However, as there is no statistically significant difference among the different treatment cells regarding how long participants lived in the province of Groningen this limitation did not influenced the results significantly.
Although clickdensity.com recorded most of the page clicks during the experiment it might be that not all page clicks were recorded due to quick succession. Because of this issue no comparisons should be made between different visual online product presentation formats in table VII. However, general patterns between equally visual formats (no image, static image, or video and VPE) can still be derived from this table.
Future research
This research found that rotatable product images and product videos, both combined with product descriptions based on human narration, are most effective in creating hedonic web shopping experiences. However, future research must be conduced to examine whether these formats are (in hedonic contexts) also appropriate for other product types (e.g. products with functional attributes) and other cultures. Future research could also examine the influence of other online product presentation formats (e.g. virtual try-on) on attitudes toward hedonic web shopping. The examination of other online product presentation formats is of particular importance as the effects of the formats examined in this research were not all statistically significant.
Conclusion
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