Cognitive fit effects of online reviews on tourists’ information search

Using the cognitive fit theory as a theoretical framework, this study developed a research model to understand how the interplay between consumer information search goals and online information sufficiency could influence consumers’ perceptions of information search outcomes. The results show that providing a detailed review of the tourism product is effective for task-directed information seekers. The practical implications of these results for the website designers of online customer reviews suggest that they should develop web-based tools to effectively organize and customize review contents by detailed categories that will allow readers to meet their individual information search goals.