Online gift-searching: gift-giving orientations and perceived benefits of searching
| Date | 23 September 2013 |
| Pages | 771-786 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/OIR-05-2012-0093 |
| Published date | 23 September 2013 |
| Author | Shih-Ping Jeng |
| Subject Matter | Library & information science,Information behaviour & retrieval |
Online gift-searching: gift-giving
orientations and perceived
benefits of searching
Shih-Ping Jeng
National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung, Taiwan
Abstract
Purpose – The increasing number of people who search for and purchase gifts online underscores
the need to better understand the process of searching for gifts online. This study explores online
gift-searching with regard to the psychological characteristics of gift seekers and the benefits of
searching. This study examines how gift-giving orientations (agape and reciprocity) influence the
perceived benefits of searching (utilitarian and hedonic) in online gift-searching behaviour.
Design/methodology/approach – The conceptual framework was tested using a survey. The data
were analysed using structural equation modelling.
Findings – The results show that agape positively influences both utilitarian and hedonic benefits,
which in turn increase online gift-searching. Reciprocity does not affect utilitarian benefits but
decreases hedonic benefits and thus causes a reduction in online gift-searching. The perceived benefit
of searching fully mediates the relationship between gift-giving orientations and online gift-searching.
Utilitarian benefits are the primary benefits that are sought by consumers who search for gifts online.
Originality/value – Previous research regarding online information searching has focused on
searching for items for self-use. This study extends that research by focusing on gift giving. By
analysing the mediating effects of both the utilitarian and hedonic benefits of searching, this study
provides new insights into whether and how gift-giving orientations affect online gift-searching.
Additionally this study offers guidelines for effectively managing online retail environments.
Keywords Agape, Onlinegift-searching, Perceived benefitsof searching, Reciprocity
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
People give, receive, and give back gifts in their daily lives. The gift market represents
roughly 10 per cent of the total retail market; this figure suggests its economic
importance (Research and Markets, 2010). Recently, the internet has become an
important medium for seeking and purchasing gifts (Seymour, 2011), as more
consumers use the internet to obtain gift information, such as information regarding
product prices, brands, and styles (Lee and Kim, 2009). The increasing number of
online gift seekers underscores the need to better understand the process of searching
for gifts online.
What factors determine the internet searches of consumers? Past research has
primarily adopted one of two different perspectives. Some studies consider the
economic perspective, which focuses on the benefit of searching on the internet in view
of the large quantity of information that is available (e.g. Alba et al., 1997; Jepsen, 2007).
Other research adopts a psychological perspective, which focuses on the ability to
search or the motivation to search (Childers et al., 2001; Koufaris, 2002).
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at
www.emeraldinsight.com/1468-4527.htm
Online gift-
searching
771
Received 20 May 2012
First revision accepted
28 August 2012
Online Information Review
Vol. 37 No. 5, 2013
pp. 771-786
qEmerald Group Publishing Limited
1468-4527
DOI 10.1108/OIR-05-2012-0093
Although the existing studies have provided significant insight into online
information searching, they exclusively focused on searches for items for self-use
(e.g. Pauwels et al., 2011; Grant et al., 2007; Forsythe et al., 2006) rather than for gift
giving. The manner in which these findings aid in understanding online gift searches is
unclear, as gift purchasing is more complicated than purchasing for oneself; gift
purchases typically involve greater uncertainty than those for self-use because
recipients may have different preferences (Cleveland et al., 2003a). Thus, the extent to
which consumers can easily find necessary information online (the ability to search)
when they search for gifts may differ from when they search for purchases for
themselves.
Moreover, people give gifts with specific orientations to communicate feelings and
build or strengthen relationships (Larsen and Watson, 2001). It is important to
understand the psychological characteristics of gift seekers and the influence of these
characteristics on online gift-searching behaviour. Past research suggests that gift
giving involves two different orientations (motivations for gift giving) (Goodwin et al.,
1990; Rugimbana et al., 2003). Consumers may give gifts to show love and friendship to
receivers without a sense of obligation (i.e. agapic orientation) (Belk and Coon, 1993). In
other instances consumers give gifts in response to the expectations of others and
believe that they must reciprocate when they receive a gift (i.e. reciprocity orientation)
(Goodwin et al., 1990). We propose that consumer desires for information and the type
of internet search benefits that are obtained may differ depending on the gift-giving
orientations of consumers.
This study incorporates both the psychological characteristics of gift seekers
(i.e. gift-giving orientations) and their perceptions of search benefits to examine the
online gift-seeking behaviours of consumers. We aim to provide empirical evidence of
the influence of gift-giving orientation (agape vs reciprocity) on the perceived benefit of
searching and consequently on online gift-searching. This study may contribute to the
literature in several ways. First, because an information search represents the primary
stage during which online stores can provide information and influence consumer
decisions, an understanding of online gift-searching is vital for the success of online
gift sales. Second, the results increase our understanding of how and why gift-giving
orientations increase or reduce the use of the internet for pre-purchase gift information
searches. Third, the findings can provide information for online stores to use in
improving the quality and accessibility of gift information.
The following section reviews research related to gift-giving orientation and the
perceived benefit of online searching. We identify two benefit dimensions of searching
online: utilitarian benefits and hedonic benefits. We then propose a theoretic al
framework that links gift-giving orientation, the perceived benefits of searching, and
online gift-searching. We report the results of a survey that tested the theoretical
framework. Finally, we present the primary conclusions and implications of the study.
Literature review
Consumers’ information searches
Consumers’ information searches refer to everything except memory when searching
for information (Srinivasan, 1990). The economics of information searching assumes
that consumers search for information until the marginal benefit of the search equals
its marginal cost (Moorthy et al., 1997; Ratchford et al., 2003; Srinivasan and Ratchford,
OIR
37,5
772
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