Effects of interactivity on website involvement and purchase intention

This study aims to understand how website interactivity (active control and reciprocal communication) can impact purchase intention through website involvement and how the impacts are moderated by the type of products featured on websites. In a laboratory experiment, 186 participants were asked to perform purchasing tasks of non-fictional books or greeting cards on websites of varying levels of interactivity. Results indicate that websites with a high level of active control lead to cognitive involvement and, in some instances, affective involvement. Websites with reciprocal communication lead to affective involvement for functional products but not expressive products. Responses from the participants also reveal that an increase in website involvement leads to higher purchase intention. Implications for research and practice are discussed. © 2010, by the Association for Information Systems.