Abstract

Our study explored the effects of three unique intangibility dimensions on a consumer's ability to evaluate products and services, and the risk associated with the purchase situation. Our investigation examined the effects on five dimensions of risk, and incorporated consumer involvement and experience levels as moderating variables. We were able to confirm the existence of three unique dimensions of intangibility, namely, physical intangibility, generality, and mental intangibility. The existence of these three dimensions is of particular importance given the growing phenomenon of physical intangibility across many services and products. Technology in general, and the Internet in particular, has provided a means of eliminating any corporeal entity of many products and services that were previously reliant upon physical cues as a means of evaluation. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)