Factors and effects of information credibility

Website success hinges on how credible the consumers consider the information on the website. Unless consumers believe the website's information is credible, they are not likely to be willing to act on the advice and will not develop loyalty to the website. This paper reports on how individual differences and initial website impressions affect perceptions of information credibility of an unfamiliar advice website. Results confirm that several individual difference variables and initial impression variables (perceived reputation, perceived website quality, and willingness to explore the website) play an important role in developing information credibility of an unfamiliar website, with first impressions and individual differences playing equivalent roles. The study also confirms the import of information credibility by demonstrating it positively influences perceived usefulness, perceived site risk, willingness to act on website advice, and perceived consumer loyalty toward the website.