Professor Steve Wood

Abstract
Purpose – Inaccurate product information on retail websites lead to dissatisfied customers and profit losses.
Yet, the effects of product information failures (PIFs) remain under-explored, with the mobile commerce
channel commonly overlooked. This paper aims (1) to investigate the negative effects of PIFs on shoppers’
attitudes and behaviours in a mobile context. The authors further (2) evaluate the impacts of the cause and
duration of a PIF, changes of expectations towards the retailer after a PIF occurred and how previous mobile
shopping experience in general decreases the effects of PIFs.
Design/methodology/approach – The authors conducted a scenario-based experiment with a one-factorial
between-subjects design. The six most common PIFs of an international leading online fashion retailer are
operationalized and tested against a control group. The final sample consists out of 758 mobile shoppers from
the UK.
Findings – The results demonstrate that the perceived severity of PIFs based on showing customers incorrect
information is higher when key information is lacking. Further, when the cause of a PIF is attributed to the
retailer, it results in higher recovery expectations towards them. The results also reveal that respondents who
have shopped mobile before perceive PIFs as less severe than inexperienced ones.
Originality/value – This research expands the online service failure literature by examining PIFs and its
effects in the specific context of mobile commerce. The authors also provide recommendations for a better
management of PIFs like the incorporation of PIFs information into reporting packs.

Online shoppers make product purchase decisions based on product information shown on a retailer’s website and potentially in comparison to that seen on competitors’ websites. Insufficient, poor quality or missing information about a product can lead to reduced retailer sales. Measuring online Product Information Quality (PIQ) is therefore an essential element in helping retailers maximize their potential success. This paper aims (1) to identify directly quantifiable PIQ criteria, (2) to assess the effects of PIQ and (3) to evaluate the moderating effect of product involvement. We conducted a scenario-based experiment within 3,544 DIY online shoppers from the UK. Within an 8x2x2 between-subjects design we manipulated the factors PIQ criteria (8), PIQ level (2) and product type (2). The findings support that poor PIQ has a negative impact on consumers online shopping outcomes. We also found that the effects of PIQ differ between the various criteria, the product category and the level of consumer involvement in the selling process. In the context of product depiction, title readability and product attribute comparability with other retailers’ websites a high level of PIQ is required. Moreover, high involvement products need a higher level of PIQ than low involvement products. This research expands website quality and service failure literature by introducing PIQ criteria and its effects in the context of online retailing. We also establish actionable managerial recommendations to assist retailers to embrace and utilize PIQ to better understand their own potential website, and thus business, improvements.
 

Purpose – Different age groups display different shopping patterns in terms of how and where consumers buy products. During times of crisis such behavioural differences become even more striking yet remain under-researched with respect to elderly consumers. This paper investigates the impact of age on retail related behavioural changes and behavioural stability of elderly shoppers (in comparison to younger consumers) during a crisis.
Methodology – We surveyed 643 Austrian consumers to assess the impact of perceived threat on behavioural change and the moderating effect of age-groups. Based on findings from this survey, we subsequently conducted 51 semi-structured interviews to understand the causes of behavioural change and behavioural stability during a crisis.
Findings – Elderly shoppers display more stable shopping behaviour during a crisis compared to younger consumers, which is influenced by perceived threat related to the crisis. Such findings indicate that elderly shoppers reinforce their learnt and embedded shopping patterns. The causes of change and stability in behaviour include environmental and interpersonal factors.
Originality – Through the lens of Social Cognitive Theory, Protection Motivation Theory and Dual Process Theory, this research contributes to an improved understanding of changes in shopping behaviour of elderly consumers, its antecedents, and consequences during a time of crisis. We reveal reasons that lead to behavioural stability, hence the absence of change, in terms of shopping during a crisis. We further outline implications for retailers that might wish to better respond to shopping behaviours of the elderly.
Keywords – Elderly Shoppers, Shopping Behaviour, Causes, Consequences, Crisis, Change
and Stability
Article classification – Research paper