Spanning from diagnosticity to serendipity: An empirical investigation of consumer responses to product presentation

AbstractHighlights •Accessibility-diagnosticity model enables the investigation of product presentation.•Attribute-based presentation induces higher website diagnosticity and serendipity.•Attribute-based format improves serendipity through perceived substitutability.•Both perceived website diagnosticity and serendipity affect overall satisfaction.•Website diagnosticity and serendipity also induce consumers’ behavioral intention. AbstractThis study examines the effects of different product presentation strategies (i.e., alternative- vs. attribute-based) on consumer responses to diagnostic and serendipitous website experiences. Drawing on the accessibility-diagnosticity framework, we propose that different types of information presentation strategies lead consumers to differently evaluate a website as being diagnostic and serendipitous. The findings from three studies suggest that attribute-based presentations effectively increase consumer perceptions of website diagnosticity and serendipity compared with an alternative-based format. Both perceived diagnosticity and serendipity significantly contribute to consumers’ overall satisfaction with a website. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.