Product Fit Uncertainty in Online Markets: Nature, Effects, and Antecedents
Authors: Hong, Yili (Kevin); Pavlou, Paul A.
Journal: Information Systems Research (2014)
<jats:p> Product fit uncertainty (defined as the degree to which a consumer cannot assess whether a product's attributes match her preference) is proposed to be a major impediment to online markets with costly product returns and lack of consumer satisfaction. We conceptualize the nature of product fit uncertainty as an information problem and theorize its distinct effect on product returns and consumer satisfaction (versus product quality uncertainty), particularly for experience (versus search) goods without product familiarity. To reduce product fit uncertainty, we propose two Internet-enabled systems—website media (visualization systems) and online product forums (collaborative shopping systems)—that are hypothesized to attenuate the effect of product type (experience versus search goods) on product fit uncertainty. </jats:p><jats:p> Hypotheses that link experience goods to product returns through the mediating role of product fit uncertainty are tested with analyses of a unique data set composed of secondary data matched with primary direct data from numerous consumers who had recently participated in buy-it-now auctions. The results show the distinction between product fit u…