Multiple Signals and Consumer Behavior in the Digital Economy: Implementing a Multidimensional Framework

The digital economy shows a challenging environment, and three main players have entered the arena (digital platforms, online communities, new technologies). The aim of this chapter is to provide a new multidimensional framework for exploring multiple signals. The study leverages the signaling theory, since signals help companies and sellers to mitigate information asymmetries. In the virtual context of the digital economy, credible and observable information improve the decision-making process of consumers. The work opted for a multidimensional framework and proposes that four types of signals (social network, social capital, certification, social identity) influence consumer behavior. Furthermore, the study suggests that also the interactions/combinations between these signals could affect consumer behavior. This contribution offers a conceptual framework without testing empirically the propositions; thus, it offers the opportunity of further research. This work has interesting implications for several actors of the digital ecosystem (firms, entrepreneurs, platform managers, consumers, etc.).