ACCURMENT RESEARCH
Complementary Messaging
This independent research was conducted by a group of marketing scholars from Curtin University and the University of Queensland.
The research investigates how pop-up messages on e-commerce websites influence consumer behaviour, with a particular focus on whether combining heuristic cues, such as social proof or urgency, with additional closure-promoting cues leads to greater engagement than using heuristic cues alone.
Experimental Study
This study was conducted with 301 participants in the United States (48% female, average age 35 years) recruited through an online research panel.
Participants were asked to imagine browsing an online shopping website and viewing a range of sneakers. While browsing the category page, a pop-up message appeared for one of the products. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three pop-up message conditions:
After viewing the pop-up, participants reported their likelihood of clicking the pop-up to learn more and their decision comfort, defined as feeling comfortable with the decision despite some remaining uncertainty.
Results showed that pop-ups combining social proof with a closure cue increased consumers’ intention to click by 17.2% relative to the single-heuristic (control) condition, and by 15.8% relative to alternative two-heuristic combinations.
Further analysis indicated that combining with a closure cue increased decision comfort by 12.5% relative to the single-heuristic (control) condition, and by 15.2% relative to alternative two-heuristic combinations.
This increase in decision comfort, in turn, led to higher engagement, suggesting that the effect was not driven by additional information or stronger persuasive pressure, but by facilitating psychological readiness to proceed.
The research investigates how pop-up messages on e-commerce websites influence consumer behaviour, with a particular focus on whether combining heuristic cues, such as social proof or urgency, with additional closure-promoting cues leads to greater engagement than using heuristic cues alone.
Experimental Study
This study was conducted with 301 participants in the United States (48% female, average age 35 years) recruited through an online research panel.
Participants were asked to imagine browsing an online shopping website and viewing a range of sneakers. While browsing the category page, a pop-up message appeared for one of the products. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three pop-up message conditions:
- Social proof only (control condition): “Rated 4.8 out of 5 by 2,300 customers.”
- Social proof + closure cue: “Rated 4.8 out of 5 by 2,300 customers. A reliable option for everyday wear.”
- Social proof plus urgency (included to show that the effect is not simply due to adding another persuasive cue): “Rated 4.8 out of 5 by 2,300 customers. Only 3 items left in stock.”
After viewing the pop-up, participants reported their likelihood of clicking the pop-up to learn more and their decision comfort, defined as feeling comfortable with the decision despite some remaining uncertainty.
Results showed that pop-ups combining social proof with a closure cue increased consumers’ intention to click by 17.2% relative to the single-heuristic (control) condition, and by 15.8% relative to alternative two-heuristic combinations.
Further analysis indicated that combining with a closure cue increased decision comfort by 12.5% relative to the single-heuristic (control) condition, and by 15.2% relative to alternative two-heuristic combinations.
This increase in decision comfort, in turn, led to higher engagement, suggesting that the effect was not driven by additional information or stronger persuasive pressure, but by facilitating psychological readiness to proceed.