Cross-channel information search and patterns of consumer electronics purchasing

Abstract

Consumers diversify the sources where they seek information about goods and services as well as the places where they make a purchase. To a great extent, the choice between online and offline channels is determined by the qualities of the products that are sought, the frequency of purchasing them, and the pace of technological changes that the needed goods undergo. Consumer familiarity with a particular channel matters as well. The aim of the article is to verify whether a customer’s characteristics (age, gender, technical skills, technical education) influence the way consumers buy consumer electronics. The article focuses on radio and television equipment, computers, and mobile phones. The main point of interest is the differences during the information search and purchasing stages. The paper reports on the survey results conducted among 741 respondents. The analysis showed that the subjective perception of the respondents' own technical skills as well as their gender diversify the way electronics are purchased. A non-linear relationship has been discovered between the risk involved in filing a warranty claim on electronics purchased via the Internet and the way of buying these products.