Modeling the impact of internet atmospherics on surfer behavior

This paper examines the role of Internet atmospherics cues on the behavior of surfers and their impact on variables such as site attitudes, site involvement, exploratory behavior, pre-purchase and purchase intentions. Atmospherics cues are central (structure, organization, informativeness, effectiveness and navigational characteristics) and peripheral (entertainment). A conceptual model is developed based on a review of existing findings and tested with a large sample of consumers who responded to a questionnaire after navigating through an existing pharmaceutical web site. Structural equations modeling was used to test 10 major hypotheses. Among the key findings, all atmospherics cues were impacting the other constructs, with the central cues mostly affecting site involvement and exploratory behavior, while entertainment affected site involvement and site attitudes. These findings contribute to the theoretical and managerial understanding of the role of Internet atmospherics on the navigation behavior of visitors.