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Journal of Retailing 87 (1, 2011) 46–58

Aesthetics and the online shopping environment: Understandingconsumer responses

Yong Jian Wang a,∗, Michael S. Minor b,1, Jie Wei c,2

a College of Business, Ohio University, Copeland Hall 534, Athens, OH 45701, United Statesb College of Business Administration, The University of Texas-Pan American, 1201 West University Drive, Edinburg, TX 78539, United States

c NUS Business School, National University of Singapore, 1 Business Link Level 6 BIZ 2 Building, Singapore 117592, Singapore

bstract

As the e-tail industry continues to grow with increasing competition witnessed, the study of how to entice and retain online customers has nevereen as important as at present. Our hierarchical model examines how the two dimensions of web aesthetics, aesthetic formality and aesthetic appeal,nfluence online consumers’ psychological reactions, including perceived service quality, satisfaction, and arousal, and how these psychologicalhanges, in turn, influence online consumers’ conative tendencies. The results indicate: (1) consumers’ cognitive, affective, and conative outcomes

an be significantly evoked by aesthetic stimuli; (2) the two dimensions of web aesthetics exhibit dissimilar patterns of influences; and (3) purchaseask significantly moderates consumers’ responses in terms of magnitude and direction. The study provides practical guidelines for properly

anipulating the two dimensions of web aesthetics based on consumers’ motivational orientations.2010 New York University. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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eywords: e-tail; Web aesthetics; Satisfaction; Online service quality; Online c

Introduction

As part of the e-tail strategy, the issue of e-store design hasmerged as a major issue in online retailing. As Grewal andevy (2007) pointed out, the impact of web design on onlineonsumer behavior is a potential area in retailing research dueo the lack of in-depth investigation. Currently, many e-tailersdopted advanced web technologies, such as customized solu-ions and computer-aided analytical tools, to improve onlineervice in order to win the ultimate competition. However, from aarketing perspective, offering all the functional attributes may

ot be enough for the creation of a consumer-oriented onlinehopping environment. Past research in the e-tail field has rec-gnized the importance of attractive web design in enhancing

hoppers’ online experience (Ganesh et al. 2010; Wolfinbargernd Gilly 2003). Noticeably, recent findings revealed that manyeb surfers are motivated to conduct online shopping activities

∗ Corresponding author. Tel.: +1 740 597 1987; fax: +1 740 597 2150.E-mail addresses: wangy@ohio.edu (Y.J. Wang),

sminor@hotmail.com (M.S. Minor), jwei@nus.edu.sg (J. Wei).1 Tel.: +1 956 316 7135; fax: +1 956 381 2867.2 Tel.: +65 6516 4418; fax: +65 6777 1296.

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022-4359/$ – see front matter © 2010 New York University. Published by Elsevier Ioi:10.1016/j.jretai.2010.09.002

er behavior; Environmental psychology

ecause of the stimulation effect of interesting websites (Ganesht al. 2010). Given the fact that the website is the primarynterface for an e-tailer during consumers’ service encounter,onsumers may not be interested in continuing their online nav-gation if they dislike the interface, although this e-tailer canctually offer benefits such as cheaper merchandise, analyti-al assistance, and faster delivery. If we realize the degree tohich shoppers care about the shopping environment and how

he store atmospherics can significantly influence purchase deci-ions (e.g., Bitner 1992; Donovan et al. 1994; Spies, Hesse, andoesch 1997), we believe that how to create an aesthetic website

hat can let consumers enjoy their online shopping environments a critical research question in retailing. In this study, we focusn such an aesthetic approach to investigating e-tail websiteesign and consumer responses.

According to the American Heritage Dictionary of Englishanguage, aesthetics is “a conception of what is artistically validr beautiful”. The concept of aesthetics is also referred to as “thehilosophy of beauty” in the literature of arts (Dickie 1997). Inn online context, web aesthetics may represent how different

lements and attributes are combined to yield an impression ofeauty.

There are at least three reasons for the investigation of con-umer responses to web aesthetics. First, previous marketing

nc. All rights reserved.

f Retailing 87 (1, 2011) 46–58 47

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AestheticFormality

AestheticAppeal

Arousal

Stimulus Organism Response

Purchase Task

SatisfactionPurchase

Consultation

Search on Other

Websites

Re-visit

Purchase Task

Conative:Perceived

Web Aesthetics:

OnlineService Quality

Affective:

Cognitive:

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esearch has recognized the fundamental trend of consumers’nline consumption style. The web is not merely used for util-tarian purposes, such as looking for information and cheaper

erchandise; it is increasingly becoming a place for recreationalnd entertaining experiences that can fulfill consumers’ hedo-ic needs (Childers et al. 2001; Ganesh et al. 2010; Hartmant al. 2006). Thus, an artistically beautiful website that pleasesyes may be considered superior to other less-appealing sites.nvestigation of web aesthetics will contribute to a deepernquiry into the hedonic needs of online consumers. Second,

parsimonious measure of overall atmospherics has not beenell discussed, although previous studies suggested a signifi-

ant influence of overall atmospherics on consumers’ shoppingehavior (e.g., Donovan et al. 1994; Eroglu, Machleit, and Davis001; Hui, Dube, and Chebat 1997; Puccinelli et al. 2009).ince atmospheric stimuli consist of a variety of elements, atudy of consumer responses to web aesthetics should examinehether and how different web elements, attributes, and tools, in

ombination, impact consumers’ psychological and behavioraleactions. Going beyond the investigation of the functionality ofndividual atmospheric stimulus, web aesthetics offers a holisticicture on the online shopping environment. Third, intellectualnowledge on web aesthetics has been limited to informa-ion system users, lacking application to consumers. Previousesearch on human–computer interaction has generated substan-ial findings on the dimensionality, consistency, and fidelity ofeb aesthetics (e.g., Park, Choi, and Kim 2004; Schenkman and

onsson 2000; Tractinsky 2004; Tractinsky et al. 2006). But theignificance of web aesthetics to online consumers and the rolef web aesthetics in consumers’ purchase/repurchase intentions,oyalty behavior, and service switching behavior remain unclear.hus, research efforts on consumer responses to web aestheticseem essential.

The purpose of the study is to investigate online consumers’ognitive, affective, and conative responses to web aesthetics,aking into consideration consumers’ motivational orientations.fter the introduction, the study focuses on the development ofresearch framework with key research hypotheses. The study

ontinues with research methodology and analysis of results.n the basis of the results, discussion of findings, research

imitations, and recommendations for future research arerovided.

Research framework and hypotheses

Previous research posited a bi-dimensional character of webesthetics. Schenkman and Jonsson (2000) revealed that visualesthetics of websites has two dimensions, aesthetic formalitynd aesthetic appeal. Aesthetic formality refers to the order,egibility, and simplicity of a website, while aesthetic appealefers to the overall impressiveness of a website, which islosely tied to the hedonic quality of the website. Consistentith the findings of Schenkman and Jonsson (2000), Lavie

nd Tractinsky (2004) found two similar dimensions of webesthetics. These two dimensions were respectively named clas-ical aesthetics and expressive aesthetics. Classical aestheticsefers to the organization, clearness, and symmetricity of a web-

temb

Fig. 1. Research framework of consumer responses to web aesthetics.

ite, and is akin to the aesthetic formality dimension, whilexpressive aesthetics refers to the creativeness, fascination,nd originality of a website, and corresponds to the aestheticppeal dimension. The findings indicate that one dimensionf web aesthetics is related to the utilitarian, economic, andractical properties of design, whereas the other dimension iseflected by the hedonic, attractive, and recreational attributes ofesign.

Based on the Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-O-R) frame-ork (Mehrabian and Russell 1974), this study proposes a

esearch framework to examine online consumers’ hierarchi-al responses to web aesthetics. Taking into consideration theoderating role of purchase task, this study attempts to exam-

ne how the two dimensions of web aesthetics influence onlineonsumers’ affective changes (satisfaction and arousal) and cog-itive reaction (perceived online service quality); and further,ow these psychological changes, in turn, influence online con-umers’ conative inclinations, including purchase, consultation,earch, and re-visit. The research framework is presented inig. 1.

Since consumer satisfaction is demonstrated by positivemotions (pleasure) during a disconfirmation of expectationsDawson, Bloch, and Ridgway 1990; Spreng, MacKenzie, andlshavsky 1996), we turn to the appraisal theory of emo-

ions to explain the effects of aesthetic formality and aestheticppeal on satisfaction under task-oriented and task-free cir-umstances. According to appraisal theory of emotions (Frijda994), positive emotions can be a result of the match betweennvironmental stimuli and the goal of an individual. A mis-atch may result in negative emotions. For example, a dark

nvironment can evoke positive emotions when an individ-al wants to sleep and negative emotions when he or sheants to read. The theory also contends that in other condi-

ions in which an individual does not possess a goal, positive

motions are a result of the hedonic property of environ-ental stimuli, which are intrinsically preferred by human

eings.

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The aesthetic formality dimension contains the patterns inhich the details of information are presented in the online shop-ing environment. The structure of information is related to theistribution of attribute levels across the products listed (Lurie004). The organization, legibility, and clearness of the task-elevant content determine the readability of the websites (Hallnd Hanna 2004), and are directly relevant to the achievement ofhe online shopping goals (Eroglu et al. 2001). Since consumersith online purchase tasks have to exploit online information

bout products and services to complete the purchase task intimely manner, a well-organized, legible, and easy-to-followeb environment facilitates consumers’ information processing

nd goal-attainment. In light of the appraisal theory of emotions,match between high aesthetic formality and the purchase task

esults in consumer satisfaction. Congruent with the argument,zymanski and Hise (2000) found that online consumers withpurchase task are more satisfied with a website if the website

s more organized. On the other hand, when online consumersrowse an e-tail website without any purchase task, the pres-nce of an organized, legible, and easy-to-follow website maylso lead to consumers’ positive emotions because the prefer-nce for order and certainty can be attributed to intrinsic humaneeds (Maslow 1970). Recent empirical studies on the onlinenvironment also support a positive effect of aesthetic formal-ty on the satisfaction by revealing that perceived complexityf a website has a negative impact on pleasure (e.g., Huang003; Vilnai-Yavetz and Rafaeli 2006). Thus, whether onlineonsumers pursue purchase tasks or not, a positive effect of aebsite’s aesthetic formality on online consumers’ satisfaction

an be expected.In view of the appraisal theory of emotions, higher aes-

hetic appeal of a website, the hedonic property of the website,ay result in higher pleasure for those who browse the websiteith no purchase task, because art and aesthetic advancement

an be linked to intrinsic human preference (Maslow 1970). Inindgaard and Dudek’s (2003) study, satisfaction of online view-rs comes from highly appealing websites, regardless of whetherhe websites are useful to them. By recruiting participants with-ut a concrete online task, Van der Heijden (2003) also foundhat online visual attractiveness, which is defined as the degreeo which a person believes that a website is aesthetically appeal-ng to the eyes, is positively associated with users’ enjoyment.owever, in the study of store atmosphere, Kaltcheva and Weitz

2006) suggested that atmospheric stimuli that impede the shop-ing goal evoke negative emotions. In Kaltcheva and Weitz’s2006) study, a store’s appealing atmospherics, such as satu-ated color or music, decrease the pleasure of shoppers engagedn completing their shopping tasks, though these appealing ele-

ents increase the pleasure of recreational shoppers. In viewf the appraisal theory of emotions, the negative emotions ofhoppers result from the mismatch of the stimuli and their shop-ing goal, because the appealing atmospherics are irrelevanto the shopping task and distract information processing and

ecision making. Previous findings lead us to expect that task-riented consumers may feel unpleasant because the appealingtmospherics require a higher degree of effort to complete thehopping tasks, while task-free consumers may feel pleasant

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ailing 87 (1, 2011) 46–58

ecause their experience is enriched by the highly appealingtmospherics.

1a. Regardless of purchase tasks are pursued or not, aestheticormality of websites increases satisfaction.

1b. When purchase tasks are pursued (vs. not pursued), aes-hetic appeal of websites decreases (vs. increases) satisfaction.

Berlyne’s (1960) behaviorism paradigm has been used toescribe the appreciators’ arousal in response to a visual workf art. An increase in arousal results from the visual stimuli thatrovoke temporary conflict in the memory. To quantitativelyxplain arousal, Mehrabian and Russell (1974) posited that themount of arousal in an environment is positively related to thenformation rate received by an individual, and the informationate is higher when the object presented is novel, surprising, oromplex. Since higher complexity indicates lower aesthetic for-ality of a website and higher novelty reflects higher aesthetic

ppeal, higher arousal tends to be generated in response to an e-ail website with lower aesthetic formality and higher aestheticppeal.

2a. Regardless of whether purchase tasks are pursued or not,esthetic formality of websites decreases arousal.

2b. Regardless of whether purchase tasks are pursued or not,esthetic appeal of websites increases arousal.

A large number of empirical studies in marketing over-helmingly supported a positive relationship between positive

motion and purchase in both store and online environmentse.g., Donovan et al. 1994; Menon and Kahn 2002; Sherman,

athur, and Smith 1997; Spies et al. 1997). Remarkably,he positive emotions elicited by atmospheric stimuli mayead to unplanned purchase by consumers who do not pur-ue any purchase task at the time of service encounter (Beattynd Ferrell 1998). Therefore, we expect that, whether con-umers pursue purchase tasks or not, satisfaction with webesthetics will have a positive impact on the propensity tourchase.

In both store and online environments, emotional changesave been found to influence consumers’ actions other thanurchase. These actions include communicating and interactingith other consumers, browsing related sites and product cat-

gories, and participating in promotion activities (Menon andahn 2002; Ridgway, Dawson, and Bloch 1989). Perceptual

ontrol theory (Hershberger 1989) helps to explain how con-umer satisfaction with an environment influences their conativeendencies under different motivational orientations. The expla-ation of goal-directed volitional behavior may describe theonative change of consumers who pursue purchase tasks duringhe encounter with environmental stimuli (e.g., web aesthet-cs). Perceptual control theory posits that, when an individualtarts pursuing a goal, influential environmental disturbancesay provide negative feedback, which subsequently produces

new round of actions to better adapt to the environment.verall, negative feedback from the environment leads an indi-idual to adjust his or her volitional behavior at times. Thus,f the environment does not provide any negative feedback,

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onsumers with purchase tasks will continue their purchaseasks until the goal is achieved. Consumers will take alterna-ive actions that counterbalance the environmental stimuli onlyf negative feedback is provided. The explanation of volitionalehavior implies that consumers who pursue purchase tasksend to explore for alternatives or additional information onlyf negative emotions are evoked based on the negative feedbackrom the website. Therefore, when task-oriented online con-umers feel dissatisfied with the shopping environment, theyill be likely to consult customer service or search on otherebsites.When there is no purchase task in mind, consumers’ cona-

ive reactions to web aesthetics can be characterized as “elicitedutput” described by perceptual control theory (Hershberger989). In this circumstance, online consumers’ positive emo-ions evoked by the aesthetic stimuli may initiate fun- andariety-seeking behavior, such as search on the web. Also, pos-tive emotions may lead to a higher tendency to interact withustomer service. This is consistent with previous findings thathe positive emotions elicited by atmospheric stimuli increasesurther exploration and interaction when recreational consumersncounter a novel or hedonic environment (e.g., Menon andahn 2002; Ridgway et al. 1989).

3a. When purchase tasks are pursued, satisfaction with webesthetics increases the propensity to purchase, and decreaseshe propensities to consult customer service and/or search onther websites.

3b. When purchase tasks are not pursued, satisfaction witheb aesthetics increases the propensities to purchase, consult

ustomer service and/or search on other websites.

Previous marketing studies showed that consumers’ purchaseendency is not necessarily high when they are aroused. A num-er of studies found that the effect of arousal on purchase isositive (e.g., Baker, Levy, and Grewal 1992; Donovan andossiter 1982; Sherman et al. 1997), but some others sup-orted an opposite direction of the effect (e.g., Menon and Kahn002; Milliman 1982). Kaltcheva and Weitz (2006) suggestedhat purchase task moderates the arousal-behavior relationship.hey found that higher arousal decreases purchase intentionsf task-oriented shoppers, but increases purchase intentions ofecreational shoppers.

An aroused state can be demonstrated as mental excitement,hich activates muscular activities and accelerates bodily move-ents (Mehrabian and Russell 1974). Thus, higher arousal will

enerally make individuals more active. But it is noteworthyhat high arousal is closely interrelated with the feelings of anx-ety and stress during critical decision making (Mehrabian andussell 1974). High anxiety and stress during information pro-essing and decision making can lead to alternative-seekingehavior, rather than focusing on deliberation and decisionaking (Pham 1996; Sanbonmatsu and Kardes 1988). As a

esult, high arousal may lead to the suspension of the cen-ral task. Sanbonmatsu and Kardes (1988) found that highlyroused individuals in these situations tend to look for periph-ral cues rather than to concentrate on central information

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ailing 87 (1, 2011) 46–58 49

rocessing. Mehrabian and Russell (1974) also reported thatigher arousal weakens concentration. In their experiments, highrousal elicited by environmental stimuli significantly decreasedhe participants’ desire to work or to solve problems. Thus, wexpect that, when arousal increases, online consumers who pur-ue no purchase task will have a higher tendency to search anduy because of bodily activation, while those who need to com-lete their purchase tasks will experience difficulty in continuinghe central purchase tasks because of the need for additionalnformation.

4a. When purchase tasks are pursued, arousal by web aes-hetics decreases the propensity to purchase, and increases theropensities to consult customer service and/or search on otherebsites.

4b. When purchase tasks are pursued, arousal by web aes-hetics increases the propensities to purchase, consult customerervice, and/or search on other websites.

Web aesthetics has been considered an important elementf online service quality, and found to correlate with otherlements, such as ease of use and perceived security (Yoond Donthu 2001). In information systems research, Lavie andractinsky (2004) found that both of the two dimensions ofeb aesthetics are positively associated with perceived websitesability, the quality of websites perceived by users. The find-ng implies that aesthetic formality and aesthetic appeal mayoth have positive impacts on perceived online service quality.urther, previous research highlighted the impact of perceivedervice quality on consumers’ patronage (repeated re-visit) ofpecific stores (e.g., Pan and Zinkhan 2006; Sirohi, McLaughlin,nd Wittink 1998; Zeithaml, Berry, and Parasuraman 1996). Inddition, Baker et al. (2002) and Grewal et al. (2003) showedhat consumers’ evaluations of the retail atmosphere is crucialn determining their re-visit intentions, even after they visit thetore for recreational purposes. We extend the paradigm to theeb and propose:

5a. Aesthetic formality and aesthetic appeal of websites bothncrease perceived online service quality.

5b. Perceived online service quality based on web aestheticsncreases the propensity to re-visit a website.

Involvement theory contends that consumers with a pur-hase task tend to have higher involvement with utilitariannformation of products and services because of personal rele-ance (Zaichkowsky 1985). On the other hand, when consumersncounter a shopping environment without a purchase task, theirnvolvement is more hedonically oriented (Laurent and Kapferer985). Higher involvement increases interest in the involvedelds and a greater effort to acquire information (Celsi andlson 1988). More importantly, consumers’ motivational ori-

ntations determine their visual attention patterns. According toisual search theory (Theeuwes 1992), visual selection during

ask involvement is goal-driven, in which individuals attend tond process utilitarian information to achieve the goals, whereasisual selection without a task is stimulus-driven, with attentionnd information processing focusing on the hedonic proper-

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ies in the surroundings. Aesthetic formality helps to determinehether product and service information can be effectively and

fficiently used to facilitate the purchase tasks, and thus, mayave a stronger effect on the cognitive, affective, and conativeesponses when consumers pursue purchase tasks. On the otherand, aesthetic appeal, often demonstrated by decorative andedonic features through colors, graphics, and images, helpso establish the hedonic quality of a website, and thus, mayave a stronger effect on the cognitive, affective, and cona-ive responses when consumers are task-free. Accordingly, weropose:

6. When purchase tasks are pursued (vs. not pursued),esthetic formality has a stronger (vs. weaker) influence on con-umers’ cognitive, affective, and conative responses than doesesthetic appeal.

Research methodology

easures

This study involves nine latent variables as indicated in theesearch framework. On the basis of previous findings on theimensionality of web aesthetics (e.g., Lavie and Tractinsky004; Schenkman and Jonsson 2000), aesthetic formality is mea-ured by the organization, order, and legibility of a website, andesthetic appeal is measured by the fascination, creativeness, andmpressiveness of a website as perceived by consumers. Seven-oint semantic differential scales were used. In a pilot studyased on a convenient sample of 140 consumers, we conductedonfirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to test the dimensionality ofhe two aesthetic dimensions. The result yielded a two-factor

odel with good model fit (GFI = 0.90) and factor loadingsbove 0.70.

Satisfaction is measured by five items that describe con-umers’ immediate feelings about a website. Five pairs ofpposite adjectives are used: satisfied versus dissatisfied, pleasedersus displeased, contented versus frustrated, delighted versuserrible, and pleasant versus unpleasant. These five items areased on existing transaction-specific measures of customer sat-sfaction (e.g., Eroglu and Machleit 1990; Spreng et al. 1996).rousal is measured by five pairs of adjective states: aroused ver-

us unaroused, wide-awake versus sleepy, excited versus calm,timulated versus relaxed, and frenzied versus sluggish. The fivetems are selected from existing measures of phasic arousal (e.g.,onovan et al. 1994; Mehrabian and Russell 1974; Menon andahn 2002). Satisfaction and arousal measures are assessed by

even-point semantic differential scales. Perceived online ser-ice quality is measured by six items selected from Yang, Jun,nd Peterson’s (2004) online service quality construct. The mea-ure of online service quality consists of six items: reliability,esponsiveness, competence, ease of use, security, and prod-ct portfolio. The perceived online service quality measure is

ssessed by seven-point Likert-type scales with higher valuesndicating more positive responses.

This study used self-reported inclination to engage in a behav-or to measure the four conative responses. Using behavioral

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ropensity to measure conation has been widely adopted byrevious marketing research (e.g., Dabholkar, Shepherd, andhorpe 2000; Zeithaml et al. 1996). In this study, each of

he behavioral variables is measured by three items. One ofhe items is assessed by a seven-point Likert-type scale andhe other two are based on seven-point semantic differentialcales.

uasi-experimental procedures

A 2 × 2 factorial design was employed in the quasi-xperiment. Four e-tail websites, online furniture stores A, B,, and D, were created. The four websites offered identicalroducts as well as customer services. The four e-tail storesere designed into high formality/high appeal (online store A),

ow formality/high appeal (online store B), high formality/lowppeal (online store C), and low formality/low appeal (onlinetore D), respectively. The web design utilized previous find-ngs on aesthetic attributes (e.g., Lavie and Tractinsky 2004;chenkman and Jonsson 2000). Aesthetic formality was pre-ented by organized and systematic layout of items, legible fontype and font size, and clear text/background color combination,hereas aesthetic appeal was presented by using larger picturesf the listed items, setting images into constant motion or blink-ng, and adding decorative graphics. The use of movement to

anipulate aesthetic appeal followed practical guidelines in suc-essfully creating appeal in a two-dimensional interface, impliedy real movement theory (Metallinos 1996). We used four sim-lated e-tail websites in a quasi-experiment for two purposes:1) to obtain normal distribution of the values for perceivedesthetic formality and perceived aesthetic appeal and (2) toitigate the impact of other intervening variables, such as the

rice of the products, that threaten the internal validity of theependent relationships.

The moderating role of purchase task was manipulated byecruiting two groups of participants, one group with purchaseask and the other group with no purchase task. For the groupith no purchase task, participants were simply asked to browse

he e-tail website. For the group with purchase task, participantsere asked to select a particular piece of furniture (a three-seatpholstered sofa with wood frame, priced below $1,700) on the-tail website, before exposed to the questionnaire. This methodf motivational manipulation has been widely used in quasi-xperiments in marketing research (e.g., Celsi and Olson 1988;acKenzie and Spreng 1992).

articipants

In order to ensure a random sample of real consumers, weecruited participants via a mall-intercept method suggestedy Bush and Hair (1985). Trained instructors randomly inter-epted shoppers in a shopping mall, and interested shoppersere invited to the experiment. A total of 400 participants were

ecruited. 200 were in the group with purchase task and 200 weren the group with no purchase task. Each of the four simulated-tail websites was viewed by 50 participants in each group. Wesed reverse-coding to screen off “lip service” responses. In the

f Retailing 87 (1, 2011) 46–58 51

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Table 1Construct validity and reliability.a

Construct Cronbach α R2 GFIb

Aesthetic formality 0.95/0.95 0.89/0.88 N/AAesthetic appeal 0.95/0.92 0.77/0.80 N/ASatisfaction 0.95/0.93 0.81/0.83 0.88/0.91Arousal 0.92/0.91 0.70/0.72 0.93/0.91Online service quality 0.91/0.92 0.73/0.79 0.96/0.94Purchase 0.91/0.91 0.79/0.79 N/AConsultation 0.91/0.94 0.77/0.84 N/ASearch 0.92/0.91 0.80/0.79 N/ARe-visit 0.96/0.93 0.92/0.81 N/A

a The values are reported separately based on the group with purchase taskand the group without purchase task.

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uestionnaire, the three semantic differential scales (aestheticormality, aesthetic appeal, satisfaction) were reverse-codedvery other row. The reported values of the reverse-coded itemsere converted back and compared with those of the regular

tems. Cases showing fundamentally inconsistent patterns (morehan 50% items with opposite directions) were dropped. This left58 valid cases remained in the sample, 133 with purchase tasknd 125 without purchase task. The demographic description ofhe remaining participants is reported in Appendix A. The demo-raphic characteristics of the sample reflect a pattern similar tohat of the internet users in the United States in terms of age,ex, and household income (Department of Commerce 2004).

tatistical analysis

Our data were processed by LISREL 8.54 in tracing theypothesized structural relations. The evaluation of the mea-urement model was first conducted to estimate the relationshipsetween the nine latent constructs and their indicators, followedy the evaluation of the hypothesized structure model examininghe relationships between the latent constructs.

In the evaluation of the measurement model, the nine con-tructs were subjected to validity and reliability tests. To ensurehe validity of measures, the study began with construct valid-ty of each measure using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA),nd then discriminant validity between the measures. Constructalidity was assessed upon three criteria: model fit, factor load-ngs of measurement items, and average variance extracted (R2).ompared to Hu and Bentler’s (1999) 0.90 threshold for Good-ess of Fit Index (GFI), the constructs demonstrated acceptableodel fit, respectively. The factor loadings of all items in the nine

onstructs are reasonably high (all above 0.50) with significantvalues (Anderson and Gerbing 1988). R2 values of the nineonstructs all exceed the suggested threshold of 0.50 (Fornellnd Larcker 1981).

Following Anderson and Gerbing’s (1988) method for testingiscriminant validity, the constructs were paired up and sub-ected to two models of confirmatory factor analysis. The first

odel allows the covariance between the two constructs to benconstrained, and the second model constrains the covarianceetween the two constructs. The χ2 values of the constrainednd unconstrained models are compared. We found that discrim-nant validity exists between all the paired constructs since the2 difference is significant for all the comparisons (�χ2 = 3.84,.f. = 1, p = 0.05).

The reliability analysis of the constructs was conductedy calculating the Cronbach α for each construct. Theronbach α values for the nine constructs far exceed the

ecommended critical point of 0.70 (Nunnally 1978), indi-ating good internal-consistency reliability of the constructs.he results of validity and reliability tests are reported inable 1.

Results

In our study, four experimental e-tail websites were createdo manipulate the two aesthetic dimensions in the experiments.

issp

b N/A: GFI value cannot be estimated due to 0◦ of freedom.

anipulation checks were conducted. Based on summated val-es, we found that the participants who used websites A andreported higher perceived aesthetic formality than those who

sed websites B and D (M = 5.75 vs. 2.87, F (1, 256) = 119.52,< 0.01). Meanwhile, participants who used websites A andreported higher perceived aesthetic appeal than those who

sed websites C and D (M = 6.10 vs. 3.73, F (1, 256) = 135.39,< 0.01). To compare consumers’ cognitive, affective, andonative responses as a result of the aesthetic effects, theeans of the seven endogenous variables are provided inig. 2.

The direct and indirect paths in the hypothesized modelsing the sample with purchase tasks are described in Fig. 3.n the basis of the combined results, when online con-

umers pursue their purchase tasks, perceived aesthetic formalityhows stronger impacts on consumers’ cognitive, affective,nd conative responses than does perceived aesthetic appeal.hus, all the hypotheses relevant to task-oriented consumersre supported except that the satisfaction–consultation path in3a and the arousal-search path in H4a are not statistically

ignificant.The results of the direct and indirect paths in the hypothesized

odel for task-free consumers are reported in Fig. 4. Indicatedy pair comparisons of the direct and indirect path coeffi-ients, for online consumers without a purchase task, perceivedesthetic appeal has stronger effects on consumers’ cognitive,ffective, and conative responses than does perceived aestheticormality. Therefore, all the hypotheses relevant to task-freeonsumers are supported.

Discussion

Our findings help to illustrate the effects of the two dimen-ions of web aesthetics on the cognitive, affective, and conativeesponses of online consumers, taking into consideration con-umers’ motivational orientations. The findings yield new

nsights affecting a number of research topics in e-tail, such as e-atisfaction, information search, online patronage behavior, ando on. Several key notes may be highlighted for researchers andractitioners.

52 Y.J. Wang et al. / Journal of Retailing 87 (1, 2011) 46–58

Fig. 2. Comparison of mean scores under aesthetic manipulations. FML, aesthetic formality; APL, aesthetic appeal; SAT, satisfaction; ARO, arousal; SVQ, onlines .

atitctttfirwpacwa

hs

r(hsfitaasa

ervice quality; PUR, purchase; CON, consultation; SCH, search; REV, re-visit

Most of all, web aesthetics cannot be simply understoods “the nicer, the better”. It is a bi-dimensional concept andhe stimulating effects of the two aesthetic dimensions arentricate. Our findings subtly describe the dissimilar patternshat the two dimensions of web aesthetics display in the pro-ess of online shopping. The dissimilarity includes not merelyhe magnitude differences of their effects. It is noteworthyo mention that opposite directions of the effects of aes-hetic formality and aesthetic appeal have been revealed. Ourndings discover an interesting phenomenon that is againstesearchers’ and practitioners’ conventional understanding ofeb aesthetics—although perceived aesthetic formality has aositive influence on satisfaction, perceived aesthetic appeal hasnegative influence on satisfaction when consumers pursue pur-

hase tasks. If we resort to the consumer reaction mechanism inhich aesthetic formality facilitates shopping tasks but aesthetic

ppeal interferes with the task completion, we can clearly depict

fto

ow consumers’ mind is affected by the bi-dimensional aesthetictimuli.

Speaking of the virtual shopping environment, marketingesearch found that e-satisfaction is relevant to website designEvanschitzky et al. 2004; Szymanski and Hise 2000). However,ow do website design attributes matter in terms of consumeratisfaction remained a myth. Our findings can solve the puzzleor researchers and depict the function of visual design attributesn consumer satisfaction. The findings indicate that the applica-ion of high formality combined with high appeal as aestheticttributes is not always ideal for e-tail web design aiming tochieve consumer satisfaction. Web designers and web plannershould be aware that, although a highly formalistic and highlyppealing website may provide the utmost level of satisfaction

or task-free online browsers, online consumers with purchaseasks do not prefer such aesthetic attributes for task-centerednline shopping.

Y.J. Wang et al. / Journal of Retailing 87 (1, 2011) 46–58 53

FML=Aesthetic Formality; APL=Aesthetic Appeal; SAT=Satisfaction; ARO=Arousal; SVQ=Online Service Quality; PUR=Purchase; CON=Consultation; SCH=Search; REV=Re-visit.

FML

APL SCH

REV

CON

PUR0.56*(7.04)

-0.27*(-3.54)

0.15*(2.70)

0.23*(3.56)

0.33*(7.97)

-0.25*(-4.38)

-0.50*(-6.21)

0.70*(10.87)

* p<0.05, t values in the parentheses

Indirect Paths:

FML

SAT

ARO

APL SCH

SVQ

REV

CON

PUR

5 items

6 items

3 items

3 items

5 items

3 items

3 items

3 items

3 items

0.83*(10.14)

-0.13*(-2.28)

-0.61*(-7.28)

0.57*(6.95)

0.81*(11.82)

0.38*(8.32)

0.42*(4.81)

-0.34*(-3.85)

0.15(1.64)

0.36*(5.51)

0.86*(14.01)

-0.09(-0.73)

-0.50*(-5.26)

Model Fit Indices:2=711.23, d.f.=513, p=0.00, GFI=0.76,

AGFI=0.72, RMSEA=0.05, CFI=0.98, NFI=0.96

F ic forms .

foapwhifhtd

dmwf

tcdtereiWlsge

ig. 3. Hypothesized model for consumers with purchase task. FML, aesthetervice quality; PUR, purchase; CON, consultation; SCH, search; REV, re-visit

There are also other remarkable dissimilar patterns of effectsound. For instance, aesthetic formality has a negative influencen arousal while aesthetic appeal has a positive influence onrousal, due to information rate. All these various dissimilaratterns exhibited by the two aesthetic dimensions can illustrateeb aesthetics as a potential “evil angel”, attractive, lovely, butarmful when you do not understand its hidden nature. Our find-ngs further suggest e-tail web designers and web planners toully realize that, although both higher aesthetic formality andigher aesthetic appeal can present more “beautiful” percep-ions of the online environment, the impacts of the two aestheticimensions are far from being equally positive.

Moreover, to stay away from web design catastrophes, web

esign strategies should take into account online consumers’otivational orientations. Our findings demonstrate to e-taileb designers and web planners that, high level of aesthetic

ormality must be provided for consumers whose utilitarian

ctRe

ality; APL, aesthetic appeal; SAT, satisfaction; ARO, arousal; SVQ, online

asks are dependent on such cues. On the other hand, whenonsumers encounter a service environment without any imme-iate shopping goal, high aesthetic appeal must be utilized ashe central factor in determining consumers’ evaluations andmotions. For marketing researchers, the combination of theesults reveals that the moderation effect of motivational ori-ntation on consumers’ psychological and behavioral outcomess more complex than a linear effect as previously understood.

hen consumers are task-free, their behavioral tendencies areargely stimulated by environmental stimuli, and when con-umers engage in completing certain tasks, their behavior isoal-directed and volitional. The findings on the moderationffect of motivational orientation help to explain some of the

ontroversial findings in the literature, for example, the direc-ions of the arousal–purchase relationship (e.g., Donovan andossiter 1982; Menon and Kahn 2002; Milliman 1982; Shermant al. 1997).

54 Y.J. Wang et al. / Journal of Retailing 87 (1, 2011) 46–58

FML=Aesthetic Formality; APL=Aesthetic Appeal; SAT=Satisfaction; ARO=Arousal; SVQ=Online Service Quality; PUR=Purchase; CON=Consultation; SCH=Search; REV=Re-visit.

FML

APL SCH

REV

CON

PUR0.02(0.31)

-0.07(-1.28)

0.81*(9.33)

0.87*(10.14)

0.62*(8.44)

0.85*(9.79)

-0.11(-1.86)

0.27*(5.80)

* p<0.05, t values in the parentheses

Indirect Paths:

FML

SAT

ARO

APL SCH

SVQ

REV

CON

PUR

5 items

6 items

3 items

3 items

5 items

3 items

3 items

3 items

3 items

0.26*(5.73)

0.84*(11.93)

-0.43*(-6.42)

0.95*(9.42)

0.34*(6.39)

0.76*(10.70)

0.63*(7.90)

0.34*(4.45)

0.50*(5.49)

0.44*(6.01)

0.81*(10.46)

0.50*(7.13)

0.40*(4.67)

Model Fit Indices:2=620.34, d.f.=513, p=0.00, GFI=0.77,

AGFI=0.74, RMSEA=0.04, CFI=0.99, NFI=0.97

Fig. 4. Hypothesized model for consumers without purchase task. FML, aesthetic formality; APL, aesthetic appeal; SAT, satisfaction; ARO, arousal; SVQ, onlineservice quality; PUR, purchase; CON, consultation; SCH, search; REV, re-visit.

Table 2Behavioral consequences of aesthetic manipulations.

Manipulation of aesthetic dimensions Possible behavioral consequences

Task-oriented consumers Task-free consumers

High formality/high appeal May stop processing product information and seekadditional information; more likely to re-visit at a later time(even if purchase is not made)

More likely to make impulsive purchase; more likely tobrowse other websites; more likely to re-visit at a later time

Low formality/high appeal More likely to discontinue the purchase task immediatelyand look for help, or switch to another website; lowerchance of re-visit

More likely to explore the website in detail and browseother websites; may make impulsive purchase; may re-visitat a later time

High formality/low appeal More likely to continue focusing on the purchase task untilit is completed, without hesitation, additional consultation,or search; higher chance of re-visit

More likely to leave soon; lower chance of re-visit

Low formality/low appeal More likely to discontinue the purchase task to seek moreinformation in all possible ways, including checking otherwebsites; less likely to visit again

More likely to leave immediately and not return

f Ret

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(((tsceacsmitdvaap

L

mdaomastw

ciossciiio(tibt

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emmTtvapatassorrvs

tad(2W

Y.J. Wang et al. / Journal o

In respect to the ultimate influence of web aesthetics, onlineonsumers’ likely behavioral consequences from the four typesf aesthetic manipulations are summarized in Table 2. In con-equence, how aesthetics is applied and manipulated on an-tail website depends on the consideration of consumers’ psy-hological reactions as well as their motivational orientations.-tailors can manipulate web aesthetics to achieve most favor-ble outcomes. For example, more transaction-based sites withhe aim of mitigating customer hesitation and promoting imme-iate sales should consider an e-tail website that features highesthetic formality and high aesthetic appeal for task-free onlineonsumers, while an e-tail website featuring high aesthetic for-ality and low aesthetic appeal may be best to target regular

nline shoppers with prioritized purchase tasks. Websites whichre more directed to relationship-building through repetitive vis-ts and click rates should feature high aesthetic formality andigh aesthetic appeal for both task-oriented and task-free onlineonsumers. Consumer-oriented e-tailers should dynamically uti-ize the two aesthetic dimensions and strategically implementhem through interface design customization. Certainly, thealue of aesthetic design customization of e-tail websites haseen highlighted (Mathwick, Wagner, and Unni 2010), and ourndings further provide the methods in how to customize webesthetics with the objective of maximizing e-tailers’ customerquity.

Overall, the contribution of this study to retailing include:1) it made clear how consumers respond to aesthetics stepwise;2) it illustrated the complex effects of the aesthetic stimuli;3) it linked environmental stimuli with motivational orienta-ions in understanding consumer preferences; and (4) it providedtrategies in personalizing web aesthetics to reach optimal out-omes for the e-tailers. Akin to those demonstrated in the e-tailnvironment, aesthetic stimuli in other physical settings maylso show a similar pattern of influences on individuals’ psy-hological and behavioral responses. Therefore, in a broaderense, the findings suggest that aesthetic appearance shouldatch the intended tasks in a given physical environment. This

s of particular importance for professional designers, archi-ects, and engineers in maximizing the effectiveness of theiresign outcomes. For example, appealing features demonstratedia lights, odors, music, and decorations should be applied inreas where people are not engaged in work-related tasks, butre not recommended for areas where work-related tasks areerformed.

imitations and future research opportunities

The research model is subject to modifications or improve-ents in various ways. The interaction effect of the two

imensions of web aesthetics has not been reviewed in the liter-ture nor examined in the hypothesized model. The interactionf perceived aesthetic formality and perceived aesthetic appealay have a significant impact on online consumers’ satisfaction,

rousal, and perceived online service quality. Future researchhould include the interaction effect in the structural model sohat a more accurate illustration of the effects of web aestheticsill be presented.

euec

ailing 87 (1, 2011) 46–58 55

Marketing research often follows a cognition → affect →onation route to examine the hierarchy of effects of market-ng messages. In the present study, the sequential relationshipf cognition and affect has not been scrutinized. This study con-idered affect and cognition two components of the organismtage in the S-O-R framework and assumed that consumers’ognitive and affective responses are induced by web aesthet-cs during online service encounter. In marketing research,t has been argued that consumers’ perceived service qual-ty will influence their satisfaction in the subsequent stage,r vice versa, based on different service evaluation modelsBrady et al. 2005). Therefore, future research may examinehe sequential order of perceived service quality and sat-sfaction to see if perceived service quality is a mediatoretween aesthetic stimuli and satisfaction under certain situa-ions.

The findings of this study indicate that a website mayimultaneously evoke positive and negative affective responsesf an individual. For example, when consumers pursueurchase tasks, aesthetic formality positively influences satis-action while aesthetic appeal negatively influences satisfaction.nder this simultaneous and contradictory emotional con-ition, consumers are said to be in ambivalence. Althoughhe present study renders some implications in the under-tanding of ambivalence in response to environmental stimuli,uture research may seek thorough answers to the ques-ion.

This study has only focused on visual web aesthetics. How-ver, a growing number of e-tail websites are equipped withulti-media. A large number of websites offer backgroundusic as well as various instructional sounds and button tones.he wide application of audio stimuli raises a research ques-

ion: how can consumers’ aesthetic experience through bothisual and aural channels influence their behavior? Do visualnd audio stimuli display the same pattern in terms of theirsychological effects? The study of the combination of visualnd audio aesthetic stimuli requires a higher level of elabora-ion because of the complexity of aesthetic stimuli. Further,

physical store environment may have ambient, design, andocial factors and all these factors create dynamic multi-sensorytimuli (Baker 1986; Baker et al. 1992). Thus, the effectsf broader sources of aesthetic stimuli in a physical envi-onment on consumers’ cognitive, affective, and behavioralesponses can be extremely intricate. Certainly, this will pro-ide challenging opportunities for future research in the area ofervicescape.

Last but not least, we only used one type of goods, furni-ure, in the experimental websites. Previous studies in the e-tailrea have found that online consumers’ focuses and concernsuring online shopping may differ on the basis of product typee.g., search/experience/credence goods) (Bhatnagar and Ghose004; Hsieh, Chiu, and Chiang 2005; Weathers, Sharma, andood 2007). Given that furniture is a type of hedonic, durable,

xperience-based, and specialty product, future research shouldtilize other types of merchandise to explore more nuancedffects of web aesthetics based on consumers’ information pro-essing patterns.

56 Y.J. Wang et al. / Journal of Retailing 87 (1, 2011) 46–58

Total (n = 258) Purchasetaskpursued(n = 133) No purchase task pursued (n = 125)

N % N % N %

AgeBelow 20 5 1.9 3 2.2 2 1.620–29 112 43.4 45 33.8 67 53.630–39 52 20.2 28 21.1 24 19.240–49 54 20.9 35 26.3 19 15.250–59 21 8.1 13 9.8 8 6.460 and above 4 1.6 1 0.7 3 2.4Undisclosed 10 3.9 8 6.0 2 1.6

SexMale 101 39.1 54 40.6 47 37.6Female 154 59.7 76 57.1 78 62.4Undisclosed 3 1.2 3 2.3 0 0.0

Marital statusSingle 120 46.5 47 35.3 73 58.4Married 85 32.9 56 42.1 29 23.2Widowed 24 9.3 15 11.3 9 7.2Divorced or separated 10 3.9 4 3.0 6 4.8Undisclosed 19 7.4 11 8.3 8 6.4

EthnicityCaucasian heritage 176 68.2 89 66.9 87 69.6Hispanic/Latino heritage 30 11.6 13 9.8 17 13.6African heritage 21 8.1 13 9.8 8 6.4Asian heritage 22 8.5 16 12.0 6 4.8Native American heritage 2 0.8 0 0.0 2 1.6Other heritage 1 0.4 0 0.0 1 0.8Undisclosed 6 2.3 2 1.5 4 3.2

EducationHigh school 47 18.2 20 15.0 27 21.6Undergraduate 170 65.9 94 70.7 76 60.8Graduate 29 11.2 10 7.5 19 15.2Undisclosed 12 4.7 9 6.8 3 2.4

Annual household incomeBelow 10,000 14 5.4 4 3.0 10 8.010,000–39,999 39 15.1 19 14.2 20 16.040,000–99,999 121 46.9 71 53.3 50 40.0100,000–149,999 33 12.8 13 9.8 20 16.0150,000–499,000 20 7.7 7 5.3 13 10.4500,000 and above 7 2.7 3 2.3 4 3.2Undisclosed 24 9.4 16 12.0 8 6.4

Time spent online per week<1 h 6 2.3 3 2.3 3 2.41–2 h 17 6.6 7 5.3 10 8.02–5 h 44 17.1 20 15.0 24 19.25–10 h 91 35.3 59 44.4 32 25.610–20 h 57 22.1 23 17.3 34 27.2More than 20 h 29 11.2 17 12.8 12 9.6Undisclosed 14 5.4 4 3.0 10 8.0

Frequency of online shoppingRarely 50 19.4 29 21.8 21 16.8Several times a year 139 53.9 71 53.4 68 54.4Several times a month 51 19.8 23 17.3 28 22.4

A

B

Several times a week 9 3.5 4At least once a day 4 1.6 2Undisclosed 5 1.9 4

Appendix A. Description of participants

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