A Paradoxical Relationship Between Online Product Page Viewing And Product Returns
COM2 Level 4
Executive Classroom, COM2-04-02
EXAMINERS:
1.Associate Professor Heng Cheng Suang
2.Dr. Sharon Tan Swee Lin
ABSTRACT:
Costly product returns have become a significant problem for most online retailers. In this study, we investigate a paradoxical relationship between online product page viewing and product returns. Based on expectation disconfirmation theory, we explain two counteracting effects of product page viewing on product returns, and propose that more product page viewing leads to higher likelihood of product returns. Moreover, we examine the role of consumers' usage of four IT systems, namely product recommendation systems, product refinement systems, product visualization systems and consumer review systems in moderating the effect of product page viewing on product returns. By using a unique clickstream dataset, we employ a fixed effect logit model to test the research hypotheses. The preliminary results demonstrate that more product page viewing leads to higher return propensity. The effect is attenuated when consumers use product refinement tools and product visualization systems of unchosen options; it is aggravated when online shoppers read consumer reviews of unchosen products. Our study has the potential to contribute to the extant literature by unveiling how consumers' pre-purchase product page viewing influences the subsequent return behaviors. Practitioners can also benefit from this research in deciding how to economically invest in IT systems to reduce product return rates.