The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of different product presentation modes on consumers' perceptions of web site quality. Specifically the paper identifies the perceived degree of usability as the continent quality and the perceived quality of the information as the content quality of the web site.
An experiment was conducted with a sample of 86 individuals. Changes in the presentation of the information were made in terms of mode (paragraph or schema) and arrangement (list or grid).
Users perceived a higher degree of usability and a higher quality of information when the information was presented in a schematic way than when it was presented as a paragraph. However, no significant effects were found regarding the spatial arrangement of the products. Regarding the possible interaction effect, the combination of schematic information displayed in a list produced the greatest effects on users' perceptions.
Consumers show a greater preference for those web sites that provide them with efficient tools for acquiring information and forming knowledge about the alternatives available. Specifically, when products are displayed on the computer screen, designers should focus on presenting the information in a schematic way. Moreover, if this information is organised in a list or table where all the products can be assessed consecutively, the perceptions about the web site may be enhanced.
This is one of the first studies that explains the main factors that affect the perceived quality of a web site from the users' perspective. The analysis of the users' perceptions and the marketing viewpoint could help designers to create web sites that best match their users' information needs.
