• International Journal of Knowledge Content Development & Technology
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.29-42
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• 2016

Performing an online health search is a popular activity conducted on the Internet. Research studies from developed countries provide information on source used, type of search performed and devices used to perform the search. However, the same cannot be said about the online health information searching scene in South East Asia. Online health information searching is gaining popularity in South East Asia. Citizens in these countries are turning to the Internet to obtain health information quickly. Current research studies pertaining to online health information searching in South East Asian is limited, particularly relating to search experiences of South East Asian health searchers. Search experience is pertinent as it could deter or encourage the possibility of conducting future health searches. In this research study, a user study was conducted to describe the online search experience of South East Asian health searchers. A face to face interview with 50 participants was conducted. The interview was audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. Results indicate participants have positive and negative search experiences. In some cases, post search outcomes influenced the search experience. Results of this research study contribute to the growing domain of knowledge in relation to online health information searching. Results of this study also provide an understanding pertaining to the search experience of South East Asian online health searchers.

• Journal of Information Technology Applications and Management
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.181-200
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• 2006

The purpose of this study is to examine factors influencing online product transformation focusing on benefits of online shopping and word of mouth. Generally, it has been known that buying search goods is more proper than experience goods in the online. However benefits of online shopping and word of mouth make product transformation from experience goods to search goods and the product transformation promote the purchase of experience goods online. We developed a conceptual model of online product transformation including benefits of online shopping(e.g. good price and convenience), online word of mouth (e.g. bulletin board and consumer reviews), and consumer characteristics (e.g. innovativeness and Internet usage). Also, we suggest several research propositions on online product transformation. The implications for marketing strategies of experience goods and furher research direction are suggested.

• Knowledge Management Research
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.141-168
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• 2014

Purchasing through Internet shopping mall has more uncertainty compared with offline shopping mall. Previous studies have presented that trust plays a role of reducing uncertainty and increasing purchasing intention. In this study, we suggest that third-party assurance and word-of-mouth contribute to the formation of trust. In addition, we also propose that ease of product evaluation plays moderating roles in the relationships between third-party assurance, word-of-mouth and trust. For this study, we collected sample data from two groups consisting of online shoppers purchasing the search goods and experience goods categorized by type of ease of product evaluation. Empirical results show that word-of-mouth and third-party assurance have different effects on trust in two groups. The third-party assurance has a stronger impact on trust in online shopping group of the search goods than in the experience goods, while word-of-mouth in the online community has a stronger impact on trust in online shopping group of the experience goods than in the search goods. We expect that this result will provide researchers and managers who are interested in trust formation factors in online shopping mall with useful theoretical and practical implications.

• Asian Journal of Business Environment
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.5-12
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• 2014

Purpose - This study is aimed at examining Indian consumers' online shopping motivations, information search, and shopping intentions. The study intends to reveal the relationship between online shopping motivations, information search, and shopping intentions. Research design, data, and methodology - The study employs factor analysis to verify correct loading of items on corresponding factors, and to confirm the applicability of constructs in the Indian context. The model was verified using stepwise regression analysis. Results -The findings show that hedonic and utilitarian motivations significantly affect online information search and shopping intentions. The information search is a significant predictor of online purchase intention. Conclusions - Hedonic and utilitarian motivations are the salient factors affecting online information search and purchase intentions. Marketers are required to design websites that foster an enjoyable online experience. This will attract customers who will browse the website for a longer duration. More time devoted to information search will ensure brand building and loyalty.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.202-211
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• 2020

This study examined the effects of online search service users' experiences on search satisfaction by the types of main search results. As a result of the survey, the negative experience of using the search result in the specific service area among the integrated search results is the most irrelevant regardless of the type of search result with the lowest usage rate. In particular, users are often exposed to advertising information and valuable or low useful information, and information inaccuracy, bias, and personal information leakage experience are relatively higher than other search results. Satisfaction by type of search result of online search service showed only difference in interest of search result, and no other satisfaction factor was found by type of search result. Looking at the experience factors that affect the satisfaction of each type of search results, in the case of general integrated search results except search websites such as search ads and search ads, the more accurate information is provided, the more satisfied the search results are. In the case of, the provision of high value and useful information has a positive effect on satisfaction. After all, it is implied that online search service providers should consider the highest priority for improving the service, improving the accuracy of information and the value and usefulness of information.

• Journal of Global Scholars of Marketing Science
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.143-167
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• 2006

Despite the popularity of e-commerce, the understanding of preferred product types for information searches and purchase on the internet are not sufficient. This paper studies the effect of risk perception on information search behavior through online only, offline only, and on-offline together. Specially, this study classifies product types into search goods, experience goods, and credence goods. The study attempts to determine how the relationship between the perceived risk and the information search is influenced by the product knowledge level. The results show that the higher the risk perceptions about experience goods and credence goods, the more the consumer searches information through online and offline together when the consumer's knowledge level is low. When the consumer's knowledge level is high, however, the higher the risk perception regarding search goods, the more the consumer searches information through online only.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Library and Information Science
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• v.22
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• pp.361-396
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• 1992

The purpose of this study is to verify the correlations between the amount of the online searcher's search experience and their search effect. In order to achieve this purpose, the 28 online searchers working at the chosen libraries and information centers have participated in the study as subjects. The subjects have been classified into the two types of cognitive style by Group Embedded Figure Test. As the result of the GEFT, two groups have been identified: the 15 Field Independance ( FI ) searchers and the 13 Field Dependance ( FD ) searchers. The subject's search experience consists of the 3 elements: disciplinary, training, and working experience. In order to get the data of these empirical elements, a questionnaire have been sent to the 28 subjects. An online searching request form prepared by a practical user was sent to all subjects, who conducted searches of the oversea databases through Dialog to retrieve what was requested. The resultant outcomes were collected and sent back to the user to evaluate relevance and pertinence of the search effect by the individual. In this study, the search effect has been divide into relevance and pertinence. The relevance has been then subdivided into the 3 elements : the number of the relevant documents, recall ratio, and the cost per a relevant document. The relevance has been subdivided into the 3 elements: the number of the pertinent documents, utility ratio, and the cost per a pertinent document. The correlations between the 3 elements of the subject's experience and the 6 elements of the search effect has been analysed in the FI and in the FD searchers separately. At the standard of the 0.01 significance level, findings and conclusions made in the study are summarised as follows : 1. There are strong correlations between the amount of training and the recall ratio, the number of the pertinent documents, and the utility ratio on the part of FI searchers. 2. There are strong correlations between the amount of working experience and the number of the relevant documents, the recall ratio on the part of FD searchers. However, there is also a significant converse correlation between the amount of working experience and the search cost per a pertinent document on the part of FD searchers. 3. The amount of working experience has stronger correlations with the number of the pertinent documents and the utility ratio on the part of FD searchers than the amount of training. 4. There is a strong correlation between the amount of training and the pertinence on both part of FI and FD searchers.

• Journal of Information Management
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.80-98
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• 1995

Search strategies is a means to make an efficient search. Among several studies of search strategy, Bates' $\ulcorner$Search Tactics$\lrcorner$ has been often cited and introduced, but their studies have been superficial. In this paper, the contents of Bates' $\ulcorner$Search Tactics$\lrcorner$ are examined in detail, and we try to represent the actual online search process based upon Bates' $\ulcorner$Search Tactics$\lrcorner$. The following three kinds of survey are made in order to clarify which and how tactics are used: (1) Interview with 7 searchers who belong to different types of organizations, and use different kinds of databases (2) Analysis of some online search records. (3) Analysis of written applications for a newspaper database during one year. In conclusion, Bates' tactics falls into categories and new several tactics which often used are added. The following five factors affect online search activities, search strategy, and search tactics. (1) the difficulty of search requests (2) the kinds of databases (3) the charging policy for each online search (4) the presence of the user during the search (5) the searcher' online experience In the limited condition, typical tactics are suggested, but in order to generalize the pattern of using tactics, further investigation is necessary.

• Asia pacific journal of information systems
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.21-43
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• 2013

Internet vendors are gradually realizing the importance of "locking-in" online customers in order to ensure profitability. Erection of switching barriers increases customers'lock-in and in turn may result in their willingness to pay price-premium for the same service. However, raising customer lock-in online is difficult because search costs are very low. Therefore, this study examines the effect of switching barriers (customer satisfaction, perceived value and relative advantage) on switching costs and the effect of switching costs on customer's willingness to pay more. Since switching costs and consequent relationships may depend upon the type of product therefore the research model in this study is examined for both search products and experience products. Data is collected through an online survey from two websites (one each for search product and experience product). The empirical results show the key role of switching costs in customers' willingness to pay more and the relationships among the four constructs. The theoretical and practical implications of this study are also discussed.

• KSII Transactions on Internet and Information Systems (TIIS)
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• v.13 no.12
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• pp.6097-6120
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• 2019

Online consumer reviews (OCRs) provide product information and recommendations especially pictures in reviews depict the true information about the product. This study investigates the influence of pictured reviews on online seller (for a particular product of a seller) rating with moderating effect of price, brand type (foreign vs local), goods type (experience vs search), and brand familiarity. Multiple robust linear regression analysis with moderation interaction and quadratic effect used to explain the relationship of the explanatory variables with the criterion variable. We collected cross-sectional data from the two most renowned Chinese online shopping platforms (B2C) of total 15,621 product links. Results show that higher number of reviews with a low ratio of picture reviews response negative effect on rating, whereas the lower number of reviews with a high ratio of picture reviews response positive effect on the rating. In overall picture in the reviews improve the online seller product rating. For the moderation effect, results show that price and brand familiarity have a positive interaction effect on the relation of pictured reviews and rating whereas experience goods have less negative effect comparing search goods. Finally, local brand has less negative interaction effect comparing foreign brand to pictured reviews and rating.