Toward intelligent product information systems for consumers

Telecommunication, video, and artificial intelligence technologies are supporting new product information systems capable of an increasingly intelligent dialog with consumers. The success of these new systems, just as with all past systems, depends on consumers' perceiving more benefits than costs from using them. Many of the new sophisticated systems may not succeed, and some have already failed, because their benefits cannot be made to exceed their costs. Especially important are nonmonetary costs like information processing effort and frustrating or tedious use experiences. The impact of the new technologies on information providers is discussed, as is the role of consumer-oriented policy makers in influencing the development of new product information systems.

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Auf dem Wege zu intelligenten Produktinformationssystemen für Konsumenten

Zusammenfassung Telekommunikation, Bildschirmsysteme und andere neue Technologien ermöglichen neue Produktinformationssysteme, die einen besseren Dialog mit dem Konsumenten gestatten. Als intelligent wird ein Informationssystem im vorliegenden Beitrag dann bezeichnet, wenn es seine Informationen nicht einfach nur bereithält, sondern diese Informationen personalisieren, d.h. auf den einzelnen Konsumenten individuell ausrichten kann. Der Erfolg der neuen Systeme hängt ebenso wie bei den bisherigen Systemen davon ab, wie die Konsumenten die Kosten-Nutzen-Relation beurteilen. Manches hochentwickelte und anspruchsvolle System dürfte sich nicht durchsetzen, weil es nicht gelingt, seinen Gesamtnutzen über die häufig recht hohen Kosten hinaus ansteigen zu lassen.Ob die sich entwickelnden Informationssysteme im Konsumenteninteresse liegen, hängt nach Meinung des Beitrages ab (a) davon, wer diese Systeme entwickelt, (b) von der Rolle des Staates und (c) von der Wachsamkeit der Verbraucherorganisationen. Die bisherigen Informationsanbieter in Europa und in den USA sind überwiegend private gewinnorientierte Organisationen, vor allem Unternehmungen. Die Verbraucherorganisationen sind gegenwärtig noch keine wichtigen Informationsanbieter. Der Staat kann die Nützlichkeit der Informationssysteme für Verbraucher sowohl durch unterstützende wie auch regulierende Maßnahmen fördern. Die Verbraucherorganisationen könnten für ihr Informationsangebot so, wie sie heute Printmedien benützen, in Zukunft aktiver die neuen Technologien nutzen. Zumindest sollten sie die Entwicklung der kommerziellen Systeme stärker daraufhin überwachen, daß sie dem Verbraucherinteresse nicht zuwiderlaufen.

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J. Edward Russo is Associate Professor of Marketing and Behavioral Science, Johnson Graduate School of Management, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853-4201, USA.An earlier draft of this paper was presented at the conference, New Challenges for European Consumer Policy, held at Heiligkreuztal, FRG, and sponsored by the European Cultural Foundation, the Commission of the European Communities, and IBM Deutschland, in March 1986. The present version has benefited from comments by conference participants, especially Klaus Grunert, Carl-Heinz Moritz, Preben Sepstrup, and Klaus Wieken. Special thanks go to Folke Ölander for extensive comments and discussion.     

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