How do consumers assess product quality when confronted with multiple cues? This project examines the dissimilar use of product information cues in product evaluations of cross-border websites and how to affect on the relationships among the antecedents of consumer cognition (concentration, risk, and positive/negative emotions), cognitive processing, and purchase intention. Through laboratory experiments, we will use electroencephalogram (EEG) to supplement the survey questionnaire. The project lasts for two years and the perspective of analysis of each year is as follows:The purpose in the first year is mainly to examine the dissimilar use of product information cues in product evaluations of Web sites. The cue diagnosticity framework is then used to assess the effects of engagement, risk, and positive/negative emotions on both consumer cognitive processing and purchase intention, as well as the mediation effect of cognitive processing on purchase intention. The subjects will be the buyers who have had experience in online shopping. An online survey will be conducted to each subject after he or she participated in an experimental consumption situation of cross-border websites. 300 valid questionnaires will be collected.In the second year, the project will conduct different experiments with three product cues: country of origin, sales, and ranking. In addition, we will use an electrophysiological monitoring method to measure neurophysiological states while customers assess the diagnosticity of cue usage in decision making. We will use the frontal lobe of the brain wave data to explore whether these extrinsic product cues impact on the consumer's frontal EEG asymmetry and the behavioral activation. 200 copies of the total valid sample will be collected. Moreover, we will examine whether EEG measures of these cross-border buyers lead to different responses in the survey questionnaires.By understanding online product cue design and neurocognitive mechanisms, the insights from the findings can benefit designers and marketers in implementing more effective cross-border marketing strategies.
