eThesis - School of Business electronic theses

This study is aimed to examine the effects of pre-purchase uncertainty and information search strategy on purchase satisfaction and continuance intention to use online information search. Also Internet usage experience was examined to see whether it influences the aforementioned main effects. To achieve this, the study develops hypotheses based on prior literature and test the conceptual model on the dataset of Finnish residents searching travel information. Data was collected through a mail questionnaire, sent to 2000 Finnish residents in 2006. The method of data analysis is two-step structural equation modeling.

Some of the key findings include that uncertainty has negative effect on perceived satisfaction and on continuance intention to use online information search; purchase satisfaction is a strong predictor of continuance intention to use online information search. Besides, the result suggested that demographic variables like age and education also have significant control effects on online information search behaviors.

Generally the findings help marketer and system designers to enhance their understanding of consumer information search behavior, the relationship among the elements of pre-purchase uncertainty, perceived satisfaction and continuance intention to use online information search. With proper segmentation based on demographics, there should be tailored communication strategy for separate consumers groups. Moreover, it is encouraged that investments be made in improving quality of online information presence, which will increase the dominance and profitability of e-commerce.

Key limitations of the study were acknowledged as having a narrow focus, which resulted in a conceptual model with limited explanatory power; and the large time gap between point of data collection and point of data analysis.