Argument form and spokesperson type: The recommendation strategy of virtual salespersons

  • Authors:

  • Hui-Chih Wang;Her-Sen Doong

  • Affiliations:

  • Department of Information Management, National Chung Cheng University, 168 University Rd., Min-Hsiung, Chiayi 621, Taiwan;Department of Management Information Systems, National Chiayi University, 580 Sinmin Rd., Chiayi 60054, Taiwan

  • Venue:
  • International Journal of Information Management: The Journal for Information Professionals
  • Year:
  • 2010

Quantified Score

Hi-index 0.00

Visualization

Abstract

A recommendation agent (RA) at a Webstore is believed to replace the functions of communicating and facilitating purchases for which conventional salespersons are responsible in traditional stores. Seeing the RA as a virtual salesperson, this study proposed a model to demonstrate the online persuasion process between RAs and customers. Specifically, by integrating Toulmin's model of argumentation with the spokesperson strategy from marketing theory, this study developed a model illustrating that Webstore managers may be able to manipulate the argument form and spokesperson type used in RAs' recommendations to strengthen customers' online purchase intentions through influencing their perceived argument quality and source credibility. Based on data derived from 270 subjects who participated in a 3x3 laboratory experiment, findings supported five out of six hypotheses. This study has broadened the scope of RA studies by utilizing different theoretical foundations other than the trust-assuring issues that were widely discussed in the past. Findings were able to provide crucial practical implications for both scholars and Webstore managers.