Information self-efficacy and information channels: Decision quality and online shopping satisfaction

The purpose of this study is to explore the impact of both information self-efficacy and information acquisition with regard to information channels on decision quality and also on satisfaction, which provides a new angle for online shopping satisfaction research and practice alike.

This study develops a research model drawing upon customer satisfaction theory, information and decision making theory and self-efficacy theory and tests it using a questionnaire and partial least squares structural equation modelling.

Data collected from 331 Chinese online shopping customers were used to test the model. It was found that self-efficacy in getting information (SEGI) strongly affects perceived decision quality (PDQ) and also satisfaction with online shopping. Meanwhile SEGI negatively moderates the impact of web advertising usage for getting information on PDQ and overrides the effect of consumer review usage for getting information on PDQ.

The current research usefully contributes to the theoretical development of the structural model exploring the effects of information self-efficacy and information behaviour on decision quality and satisfaction with online shopping in the specific context of China and beyond more generally.