Decision tree modelling of e-consumers’ preferences for internet marketing communication tools during browsing

Abstract

The successful development of internet marketing is based on scientifically proven decisions designed for the comprehensive analysis and evaluation of internet marketing communication tool selection. Different layers of internet marketing phenomena, such as communication tool profiles and characteristics of customers and strategies for different stages of purchase models, are widely analysed. However, it has been noted that modern management theories lack scientific research on the comprehensive analysis and evaluation of internet marketing communication tools, including the relevant characteristics of electronic consumers profiles based on their generational aspects and their life cycle stages. It is therefore necessary to analyse the stages of an electronic consumer’s journey and define the most relevant communication tools and application uses during every stage by aiming to improve customer satisfaction and marketing performance. The goal of this research is to determine the most significant internet marketing communication elements in the purchase phase of the electronic consumer journey cycle using the mathematical decision tree approach for different types of customers, using the generation theory as a segmentation tool. The literature analysis on electronic consumer’s behaviour, generation theory application possibilities in marketing and internet marketing communication tools was carried out. The research methodology includes eye-tracking and descriptive and comparative statistical analysis methods (decision tree models), which create the preconditions for the evaluation of electronic consumers’ explicit and tacit reactions to the use of internet marketing communication tools during the purchase phase of an electronic consumer´s journey. It was established that comparable statistically significant different preferences for internet marketing communication tools, at the purchase phase during a browsing task, exist for baby boomers, X, Y and Z generations.