Consumer Acceptance of Recommendations by Interactive Decision Aids: The Joint Role of Temporal Distance and Concrete vs. Abstract Communications

53 Pages Posted: 25 Oct 2010

See all articles by Clemens F. Koehler

Clemens F. Koehler

Maastricht University

Els Breugelmans

KU Leuven @ Antwerp

Benedict G. C. Dellaert

Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR) - Erasmus School of Economics (ESE); Erasmus Research Institute of Management (ERIM)

Date Written: 20 2010, 10

Abstract

Interactive decision aids (IDAs) typically use concrete product feature-based approaches to interact with consumers. Recently however, interaction designs that focus on communicating abstract consumer needs have been suggested as a promising alternative. This article investigates how temporal distance moderates the effectiveness of these two competing IDA communication designs by its effect on consumers’ mental representation of the product decision problem. Temporal distance is inherently connected to IDAs in two ways. Congruency between consumption timing (immediate vs. distant) and IDA communication design (concrete vs. abstract, respectively) increases the likelihood to accept the IDA’s advice. This effect is also achieved by congruency between IDA process timing (immediate vs. delayed delivery of recommendations) and IDA communication design (concrete vs. abstract, respectively). We further show that this process is mediated by the perceived transparency of the IDA process. Managers and researchers need to take into account the importance of congruency between the user and the interface through which companies interact with their users and can further optimize IDAs so that they better match consumers’ mental representations.

Keywords: e-commerce, interactive decision aids, construal level theory, consumer behavior, IDA communication design

JEL Classification: C44, M31, M

Suggested Citation

Koehler, Clemens F. and Breugelmans, Els and Dellaert, Benedict G. C., Consumer Acceptance of Recommendations by Interactive Decision Aids: The Joint Role of Temporal Distance and Concrete vs. Abstract Communications (20 2010, 10). ERIM Report Series Reference No. ERS-2010-041-MKT, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1696847

Clemens F. Koehler (Contact Author)

Maastricht University ( email )

P.O. Box 616
Maastricht, Limburg 6200MD
Netherlands

Els Breugelmans

KU Leuven @ Antwerp ( email )

Department of Business Studies
Korte Nieuwstraat 33
Antwerp, 2000
Belgium

Benedict G. C. Dellaert

Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR) - Erasmus School of Economics (ESE) ( email )

P.O. Box 1738
3000 DR Rotterdam, NL 3062 PA
Netherlands

Erasmus Research Institute of Management (ERIM) ( email )

P.O. Box 1738
3000 DR Rotterdam
Netherlands

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