How searching for alternatives influences consumer preferences


Imagine you are writing your thesis, and at the moment you want to save it on your USB stick, it crashes. As it is crucial to create a backup copy of your thesis, you start searching the Internet for a new USB stick. When you enter a particular retailer’s website, the following alternatives are shown:

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As you are provided with 5 different USB sticks, you now have to make a decision on which USB stick you prefer. Most likely, you will start by reading their product descriptions in order to make the best decision. However, after reading the different product descriptions, you are faced with the following dilemma: are you going to purchase the most preferred USB stick that was presented to you? Or are you going to continue your search for another (yet unrevealed and maybe better) USB stick?

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Finding or Receiving Information? How Content Acquisition Affects Word of Mouth


While a vast amount of literature has been focused on the factors that determine why some people share more information online than others, only limited attention is spent on the context that influences the information distribution. This article focuses on the acquisition context. How do people get aware of the content? Do they find it themselves, or do they get it through others?

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