Preference Construction and Persistence in Digital Marketplaces: The Role of Electronic Recommendation Agents
Journal
Journal of Consumer Psychology
ISSN
1057-7408
ISSN-Digital
1532-7663
Type
journal article
Date Issued
2003-02-20
Author(s)
Abstract
This article examines the role of electronic recommendation agents in connection with consumers' construction of multiattribute preferences. We propose that such digital agents have the potential to influence consumers' preferences in a systematic fashion. Our key hypothesis is that, everything else being equal, the inclusion of an attribute in a recommendation agent renders this attribute more prominent in consumers' purchase decisions. The results of a controlled agent-assisted shopping experiment provide strong support for this hypothesis. We also demonstrate that this preference-construction effect may persist beyond the initial shopping experience and into subsequent choice settings in which no recommendation agent is available. Finally, we propose three possible explanations of the effect and discuss each of these in light of our results.
Language
English
HSG Classification
contribution to scientific community
Refereed
Yes
Publisher
Erlbaum
Publisher place
Mahwah, NJ [u.a.]
Volume
13
Number
1-2
Start page
75
End page
91
Pages
17
Subject(s)
Division(s)
Eprints ID
220750