Showing papers in "Journal of Interactive Advertising in 2002"

Online Research Methodology

Abstract: The Internet’s potential for quantitative data collection has been debated by researchers for many years. For advertising academics and practitioners, the Internet allows for the assessment of consumer opinions and attitudes toward a range of topics. However, the accessibility of online populations and the generalizability of data collected online are uncertain. The author discusses a range of online techniques and what we still need to learn about such techniques in order to harness the potential of the Internet for quantitative research.The author wishes to acknowledge the insights provided by Mariea Hoy, Angela Mak, and Tad O’Dell during the preparation of this manuscript.

Uses and Gratifications Theory and E-Consumer Behaviors

Abstract: Drawing from uses and gratifications theory, this study explores influences of informativeness, entertainment, and irritation on various online consumer behaviors such as attitude toward the Web, Web usage, and satisfaction. Particularly, web usage and satisfaction are explored as the consequences of attitude toward the Web, while informativeness, entertainment, and irritation are the antecedents of attitude toward the Web. This nomological model was tested with a structural equation modeling (SEM) approach. SEM results indicated that the uses and gratifications theory explains well consumers’ attitude toward the Web. Internet users who perceive the Web as entertaining and informative generally show a positive attitude toward the Web. In contrast, those who perceive the Web as irritating indicate a negative attitude toward the Web. Finally, this study found that web users with a positive attitude toward the Web browse the Net more oftentimes and feel more satisfied.

Antecedents and Consequences of Web Advertising Credibility

Abstract: Rapid growth in online advertising revenues indicates the viability of World Wide Web advertising as an alternative to that of traditional media. Practitioners and academicians recognize that building credibility is important in this relatively new environment. To date, no academic research has explored the interplay of vehicle and advertiser source credibility in determining advertising effects on the web. The present study explores antecedents and consequences of online advertising credibility and examines the effects of (1) website credibility, (2) ad relevance (the advertised product’s relevance to website content), and (3) advertiser credibility on ad credibility, ad and brand attitudes, and product purchase intentions. Structural equation modeling systematically tested and refined a model representing interrelated relationships among the relevant variables. The results suggest that source credibility is vital to understanding web advertising effectiveness. Managerial implications and directi...

Antecedents and Consequences of Perceived Interactivity

Abstract: The study reported in this paper investigated how, as antecedents, personal factors influence consumers’ perception of a web site’s interactivity in the context of making a purchase decision. A review of literature suggests three general factors - Need for Cognition (NFC), product involvement, and product expertise - and three Internet-specific factors - skills, challenges, and web shopping experience - for testing. In addition, attitude toward the web site and purchase intention are examined as consequences of perceived interactivity.NFC was found to be a significant predictor of perceived interactivity of the web site visited. Although marginally significant, skills were also found to be a predictor. The model was supported for one of the three manufacturers’ portal sites employed in the study. Additional analysis found that consumers’ purchase intention was influenced by their attitude toward the web site, but not by the perceived interactivity of the site. This relationship was found for two o...

Understanding Click and Mortar E-Commerce Approaches

Abstract: In this post dot-com era, much e-commerce activity now arises from established firms with traditional physical outlets. Despite the growth in such click and mortar approaches to e-commerce, little research has specifically addressed this common business model. This article focuses on the underlying dynamics of click and mortar e-commerce businesses using a framework that outlines the potential synergies arising from the integration of e-commerce with traditional channels. Research and theory from such areas as transaction cost economics, interorganizational systems, competitive strategy, and economic sociology are used to develop the click and mortar framework. It details the sources of synergy, the management interventions that can help firms avoid damaging channel conflicts, and the types of benefits yielded by integrated click and mortar approaches. The framework is applied to a specific click and mortar case, an electronics retailer, in order to demonstrate its explanatory value. The heuristic...

Building Relationships with Portal Users

Abstract: Motivation for Web portal use is an important factor in the continued growth of e-commerce. Particularly for Web portals, motivation may be intertwined with various dimensions of a relationship that is cultivated between the portal and users. Specifically, the four motivation factors (feature, personalization, familiarity, and searching) are highly correlated to trust and satisfaction. Greater loyalty was found for AOL than for other portals, with no significant differences in relationship with Web users among the free Web portals such as Yahoo. Heavy web users and early adopters were more likely to use personalized Web portals and enjoy communicating with others through the Internet. Because a long relationship with Web portals is one motivation to use them, the highly correlated motivation factors found in this study are important to building strong relationships with Web users. These findings have implications for marketers and public relations practitioners.

How Consumers Generate Clickstreams through Web Sites

Abstract: When consumers navigate Web sites, they are said to generate a clickstream, i.e., engage in clicking from Web page to Web page. With respect to these clickstreams, hypertext, schema, and mapping theories provide a conceptual framework for their construction. To examine these perspectives, an interpretive study of 60 Internet consumers was conducted which revealed that they map very specific ideas of what they expect to encounter in interacting with various Web sites. In this regard, the results of this study suggest that the effective use of mapping, text and hypertext in generating a good navigational experience is an important way to help advertisers build a consumer Internet brand.

Learning the Web

Abstract: This article focuses on how Internet users change their behaviors and responses to marketing with increasing experience. Data from three empirical studies show several effects of increasing Internet user experience. Experienced users have shorter and more focused Web sessions, and they tend to reduce their visits to a smaller number of well-known Web sites. Furthermore, as experience increases, Internet users screen out advertising and they are less inclined to click on banner ads and less likely to be affected by ad exposures. The article tries to explain these effects, thus advancing theory on Internet marketing. Important implications for Web marketing practice are provided.

The Use of Banner Advertisements with Pull-Down Menus: A Copy Testing Approach

Abstract: This paper examines the effectiveness of Web banner advertisements in terms of several widely employed copy-testing measures. Two groups of subjects were exposed to the same banner advertisement with the exception that the promotional message in one of the ads appeared as part of a pull-down menu. The research indicates that consumers who are exposed to banner advertisements using pull-down menus score higher on measures of attention, novelty, liking, persuasion, and click-through, suggesting that these types of banner ads are more effective than traditional, static banners. It is proposed that key factors contributing to this result are the unique format and greater informational appeal of pull-down ads. Managerial implications are discussed and directions for future research are suggested.

The Interactive Advertising Model Tested

Abstract: Two, one-factor, within-subjects experiments were conducted to examine the role of Internet motives on responses to four types of banners (communicate, research, shop, and surf). Participants were each exposed to a total of 12 ads, or 3 different ads for each banner type. There were three dependent variables - attitude toward the ad, ability to persuade, and intent to click. The moderating variable was Internet motives, which had four levels (communicate, research, shop, and surf). Study 1 sampled a group of college students (N=106) and Study 2 sampled non-student adults (N=38). Results indicate that Internet motives influenced the strength of banner type on ad responses, but not for every banner ad examined. The hypothesized feature-to-motive association effect was found to some degree with the student sample, but was not found with the non-student sample. Evidence suggests that Internet motives serve different functions for students and non-students. Implications of the findings are discussed.

The Adoption of Persuasive Internet Communication in Advertising and Public Relations Curricula

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to investigate the diffusion of Internet communication into the curricula of advertising and public relations programs. While the establishment of any new medium is a process that develops over time, the Internet has taken hold faster than other mass media. This explosion has caused many scholars to ask whether advertising and public relations curricula have kept pace. An online survey administered to a sample of advertising and public relations educators (n=253) explored the perceived attitude, adoption, and innovation attributes associated with persuasive Internet communication. The results indicate that educators have integrated persuasive Internet communication into their curricula, and many have adopted specialized courses in this topic. Compatibility, observability, and trialability predict the rates of adoption.

Longevity of Websites and Interactive Advertising Communication

Abstract: This study traces survival of advertising-related Web sites for a five-year period from 1997-2002. Client organizations had the best survival rate, about 70%, while less than 50% of advertising agency sites survived. Frequency of mentions in the advertising trade press was not related to site survival, but Web sites with shorter addresses were more likely to survive. This study also reports on a longitudinal analysis of health-related Web sites. Managers of surviving sites reported that resources were a critical factor for survival. Managers of failed sites often blamed the site’s demise on external factors. A major implication for advertisers is one manager’s observation that technology itself is less important than the ability to adapt to the changes it brings.