Consumer Search Behavior on the Mobile Internet: An Empirical Analysis

Abstract

The increasing diffusion of smartphones and tablet computers has facilitated access to product information by providing Internet access anywhere and at any time. As a result, consumers are increasingly using the mobile Internet to search for product information to help them in their purchase decisions. However, there is very little documentation of how, where and when consumers actually carry out such search. Using location-based data from a leading European product information and barcode-scanning app that contains more than 80 million observations, this study provides insights using actual consumer search behavior. The results show that consumer search on the mobile Internet is not bound to store opening hours and is likely to happen to a large extent as ongoing search during consumption. Furthermore, consumers’ geographic mobility is positively correlated and previous search experience is negatively correlated with their search intensity. Finally, access to more types of information via search results, especially product related information, reduces further search on price information, suggesting that product information content can lower price sensitivity.