Examining the effect of information disclosure on website stickiness: The cognitive information perspective

Authors: Tser-Yieth Chen, Fang-Ming Hsu & Shih-Yin Wu

Journal: Corporate Management Review. June. 2019, 39(1): 49-81.

Keywords: Information disclosure; message framing; information scent; stickiness; e-WOM.

Abstract:
This study employs the concept of cognitive information processing (CIP) to examine the causal relationships among information disclosure, cognitive information effect, and website stickiness. Considering their interests, consumers may become “sticky” to a specific website after recognition of some exposed information. We thus look to examine the cognitive information effect, i.e. information scent and message framing, in consumers’ processing of their perceived information. The findings from an empirical investigation demonstrate that sponsorship disclosure significantly affects the information scent, which mainly positively impact the website stickiness. Moreover, sponsorship disclosure positively influences message framing, which then positively affects website stickiness. Our findings indicate that sponsorship disclosure plays a main role in forming website stickiness. This research marks a new ground in the sponsorship disclosure and endorsement disclosure literature and thus provides a useful profile in the field of on-line marketing. Marketing managers can hence use appropriate information disclosure to attract and stick consumers to a site by way of information scent and message framing.