Soyeon Shim, Mary Ann Eastlick, Sherry L. Lotz, and Patricia Warrington

There is compelling evidence that, despite rapid growth in Internet sales, many consumers abandon their search and purchase efforts due to unsatisfactory experiences, resulting in lost opportunities for Internet retailers. Combined reports of extensive Internet search by consumers and low purchase conversion rates suggest that consumers' search experiences may be important determinants of online purchasing.

Integrating two existing models, Ajzen's (1985, 1991) Theory of Planned Behavior and Klein's (1998) Interaction Model, we tested an Online Prepurchase Intentions Model for search goods (i.e., books, videos, computer software). The central focus of this study was to determine whether search intentions via the Internet could be employed as an indicator of purchase intentions via that same channel. Results confirmed that intention to search via the Internet was the strongest predictor leading to purchase intent, thereby refuting a popular notion that consumers who use the Internet to search for product information intend to purchase products elsewhere.

In addition, intention to search mediated relationships between intention to purchase through the Internet and several key variables that are also predictive of purchasing behavior, including attitude toward Internet shopping, perceived behavioral control, and previous Internet purchase experience. Results indicate that information gathering capabilities provided consumers by the Internet are central to its use as a retail distribution channel. Therefore, Internet search intentions may be useful to retailers as an index for measuring purchasing intentions via this medium.

The second goal of the study was to identify factors that predict consumer intention to use the Internet for both information search and purchase. One important finding was that positive attitudes toward Internet shopping and favorable past Internet purchasing experiences had both direct and indirect effects on Internet shopping intention, with the indirect effects resulting from Internet search intention. The more positive the attitude toward Internet shopping (e.g., positive feelings regarding transaction service factors related to security, product guarantees. privacy. and service), the more likely shoppers were to express both search and purchase intentions via the Internet. Likewise, the greater the number of past Internet purchases, the more likely a consumer was to intend to search and purchase through the Internet. These findings reveal that, while it is critical to acquire new customers, particular attention should be paid to retaining existing customers. Because search intention is a key indicator of purchase intention, unpleasant and/or negative experiences that occur at either the .search or purchase intentions stages of the prepurchase decision-making process can be detrimental to achieving purchase outcomes.

Perceived behavioral control was another significant factor directly influencing consumers' intention to conduct search via the Internet. The finding that requisite resources, opportunities, and skills drive Internet search intentions suggests that Internet retailers need to provide consumers with opportunities to "learn" how to shop via the Internet to bolster their feelings of control.
Future research agendas are discussed, including the use of longitudinal studies to examine factors contributing to consistencies between intentions and actual purchases via the Internet. Recommendations are also made to extend the model tested in the study to examine whether determinants of search and purchase intentions for experience products differ from those of search products.