Abstract

The difficulty in converting web browsers into actual online customers remains a problem for many online retailers. While previous studies have suggested that online retailers should strive to increase entertainment gratification and reduce web irritation among online consumers, they lack empirical evidence to support the manipulation of web atmospherics toward this end. The research presented here establishes and tests the conceptual links of web atmospherics, entertainment gratification and web irritation. Data were collected using survey and mall-intercept systematic sampling approaches and analyzed using structural equation modeling. The results indicate that well-designed dynamic web atmospherics had a significant effect in increasing entertainment gratification and reducing web irritation. Implications and recommendations from the research findings are also presented.

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