Information Processing Style Moderates the Effect of Input Device on Pre- and Postpurchase Product Evaluations

• In Event: Big Data & Networks: Connecting Communities, Organizations, and Reviews

Abstract

Touchscreen tablets have become a key component of the online shopping landscape, making the role of finger based direct touch in online consumer behavior increasingly prevalent. This paper presents a first study investigating how the effect of input device (mouse-driven desktop versus touchscreen tablet) on post-purchase evaluations is moderated by individual differences in information processing style. The results of an experiment show that a touchscreen device helps item-specific focused individuals to form accurate product expectations, ultimately resulting in positive post-purchase product evaluations including product confirmation, post-satisfaction and low intention to return compared to a desktop computer. Contrarily, for individuals who rely more on a relational processing style, a mouse-driven desktop computer rather than a touchscreen device showed to result in positive post-purchase product evaluations. Results indicate that perceptions of online products are filtered through the lens of both the type of device and information processing style used to explore them.

Authors

• Suzanne Overmars, Antwerp University

• Karolien Poels, U of Antwerp - Department of Communication Studies