Using ontologies in an e-commerce environment

Abstract

Even though online shopping is becoming increasingly popular, many consumers are still reluctant
to buy online. One approach to improve adaption is to base e-commerce search engines on ontologies
to allow a more intuitive search process. This paper presents the results of an analysis how a sample of
online shoppers perceived various ontology-based features in an online shop. The data was gathered in
two focus groups with panelists coming from different socio-demographic backgrounds. Most middleaged
women actively buy through catalogs. However, across the focus groups, most panelists are very
reluctant buying online. Our study suggests that age has a higher influence on the information search
behaviour of consumers in online shops than gender.