TY - JOUR
T1 - Show me the goods: The warranting effect of user-generated photographs in online auctions
AU - Johnson, B.K.
AU - Vang, M.H.
AU - van der Heide, B.
PY - 2015
Y1 - 2015
N2 - Consumers using online auction websites face the challenge of appraising products at a distance. Sellers and buyers in online auctions navigate this challenge by displaying and evaluating various cues, a critical one being use of photographs. Warranting theory predicts that cues less subject to control and manipulation by the presenter will be more influential in impression formation. Therefore, user-generated photographs which display the actual item should be more effective in generating successful auctions, more bidders, more bids, and higher prices, compared with stock photographs. A field experiment tested this prediction by systematically manipulating photographs for eBay auctions. User-generated photographs were found to have a positive effect on likelihood of selling and the number of auction bidders. Findings indicate that attracting more bidders is a possible mechanism for higher sale prices and also show a moderating role of bidder experience.
AB - Consumers using online auction websites face the challenge of appraising products at a distance. Sellers and buyers in online auctions navigate this challenge by displaying and evaluating various cues, a critical one being use of photographs. Warranting theory predicts that cues less subject to control and manipulation by the presenter will be more influential in impression formation. Therefore, user-generated photographs which display the actual item should be more effective in generating successful auctions, more bidders, more bids, and higher prices, compared with stock photographs. A field experiment tested this prediction by systematically manipulating photographs for eBay auctions. User-generated photographs were found to have a positive effect on likelihood of selling and the number of auction bidders. Findings indicate that attracting more bidders is a possible mechanism for higher sale prices and also show a moderating role of bidder experience.
U2 - 10.1027/1864-1105/a000126
DO - 10.1027/1864-1105/a000126
M3 - Article
SN - 1864-1105
VL - 21
SP - 3
EP - 10
JO - Journal of Media Psychology
JF - Journal of Media Psychology
IS - 1
ER -