The effects of invalidating information on consumers subsequent search patterns

The study explores the search strategies adopted by consumers upon learning that product information which was acquired in the past, is invalid. To date, the literature has devoted little attention to consumers' attempts to resolve the choice problem created by the invalidation of previously acquired product information. In reality however, consumers can actively search for additional information in an attempt to resolve the choice problem when they form subsequent judgments. Accordingly, the characteristics of post-invalidation search as well as the effect on judgment formation were assessed. The reaction to invalid information was found to influence the search strategies concerning the invalidated and additional alternatives. The search process following invalidation was more extensive, the invalidated attribute was accessed more frequently, and the search sequence appeared to alter during the search process. The implications concerning strategies used in processing new information following invalidation, are discussed.