Web-Based Consumer Decision Tools: Motivations and Constraints

This paper examines the motivations for the construction of consumer decision tools (CDTs). CDTs are Web-based decision support systems aimed at improving the quality of consumer decisions. CDTs are useful for high involvement choices, such as car or university programme selection, where the consumer is strongly affected by the outcome. Firms will supply CDTs only when they desire informed, mutually beneficial exchanges with customers. Benefits to consumers include improved decisions and the reduced cost of future decision making. Benefits to firms include insight into consumer choice processes, customer loyalty and reduced marketing costs. We describe a CDT that we developed and tested. The results from our initial work suggest that CDTs are technically feasible, and have value for both consumers and firms.