A qualitative comparison study of information search behavior in online distribution

Purpose: This study offers suggestions to e-commerce companies for increasing shoppers’ repurchase intention by considering the effect of distribution information in online shopping. It applies complexity theory to incorporate habitual information search behavior and shopper characteristics into the Stimulus-Organism-Response model and indicates how these complex factors work together in online shopping. Research design, data, and methodology: This study used an interview survey of 158 Vietnamese consumers with an experience of online shopping. A fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA) was used to examine the relationship between antecedents and outcomes depending on complex conditions in the given contexts. Results: The results (1) indicate the importance of observing information search patterns and investigating their influence on online distribution, and (2) clarify what kind of configurations, under what conditions, predict a high or low outcome; this provides evidence and hints for the development of frameworks for future studies. Conclusions: The findings suggest that shoppers’ unconscious, habitual behavior can work with conscious attitude factors, such as satisfaction, to increase their repurchase intention. Hence, e-commerce companies should consider how to present useful distribution information and create functions that allow shoppers to engage with a variety of information while increasing their repurchase intention on the site.