The impact of age and shopping experiences on the classification of search, experience, and credence goods in online shopping

This study explores how age and consumers' Web shopping experience influence the search, experience, and credence (SEC) ratings of products and services in online shopping. Using the survey data collected from 549 consumers, we investigated how they perceived the uncertainty of product quality on six search, experience, and credence goods. The ANOVA results show that age and the Web consumers' shopping experience are significant factors. A generation gap is identified for all but one experience good. Web shopping experience is not a significant factor for search goods but is for experience and credence goods. There is an interaction effect between age and Web shopping experience for one credence good. Implications of these results are discussed.