CONTENT CLASS EFFECTS ON CONSUMER ONLINE INFORMATION PROCESSING

Consumers now are connected electronically with
millions of people and companies around the globe.
One important market trend of E-commerce is driving
advertisers to use their marketing communication
activities wisely. Do consumers process information
differently when the information is presented in the
content class of a third-party endorsement versus
advertising? Is it a desirable strategy to have all
content classes ''speak with one voice?'' How do
factors such as product involvement, subjective
knowledge and objective knowledge interact with the
message consistency and inconsistency conditions to
influence how consumers process product information
and make purchase decisions? Based on these
questions, this book examines how consumers process
product information by integrating and examining
consistent and inconsistent product messages between
an advertisement and a third-party endorsed article
online under the influences of their levels of
product involvement, subjective knowledge and
objective knowledge. This book will answer the
questions asked and provide practical implications
for advertisers and directions of future research
for academic researchers.