Product Perception in the Case of Frequent Online Buyers–Empirical Evidence

After Total Quality Management and Six Sigma models and paradigms, after the Technology Acceptance Model, firms have continuously been searching for way to increase market share, profitability, revenue and keep customers loyal to their products. The electronic commerce has helped this quest by offering an additional distribution channel. However, the rules of the game are different than in the traditional physical store. One of new rules is product classification. The Search Experience Credence has been an eye opener for both retailers and researchers. But while it is a necessary condition, it is not a sufficient one, because online buyers are influenced by several factors. This paper presents the results of a survey conducted on consumers’ product perceptions as search, experience or credence type. Data has been collected from 273 consumers with the intent to examine if there are any correlations between a certain demographic parameter, namely online shopping frequency and the way consumers perceive the products. The findings show that perception of a certain product type can differ depending on the degree of familiarity with online shopping. Implications of the results are discussed.