Work and Fun on the Internet: The Effects of Utilitarianism and Hedonism Online

Consumers may act on the spur of the moment, driven by fun and curiosity, or be goal-oriented, task-focused utilitarians. This study investigates the effects of consumers’ hedonic and utilitarian orientation online on price consciousness, frequency of purchase, purchased amount, intention to re-patronize a Web site and expertise with the Internet. It specifically considers purchasing, not mere browsing, basing on data collected on customers of one of the largest Italian online retailers for electronics. The data show significant differences between hedonic and utilitarian orientation online with regard to past purchase frequency, the amount purchased and the intention to re-patronize the Web site in the future. The findings suggest that utilitarianism is strongly present online, and is valuable, thus utilitarian consumers should not be neglected, but hedonism is even more profitable, impacting on the number of items purchased and the intention to come back to the Web site. No differences are found in the level of price consciousness or in the degree of expertise with the Internet.

► I build a structural equation model for the effects of hedonism and utilitarianism online.
► Hedonic and utilitarian consumers show similar price consciousness and expertise.
► Hedonism leads to higher purchase frequency and higher repatronage intention.
► Utilitarian browsers spend less money and buy fewer items.
► Gender and age play no difference in the level of hedonism and utilitarianism on the Internet.