How Information Cues Influence Online Sales of Health Supplements: An Empirical Dual-Path Study Based on the ELM Model

Abstract

This study explores the influence of external cues on the online sales of health supplements and further investigates the moderating role of supplement type in this relationship. Drawing upon cue utilization theory, attention economy theory, and the ELM model, the study collects data using Ui-Path web scraping technology, conducts word frequency analysis via Python, and performs empirical testing using Stata software. The findings reveal that, within the central path, title involvement and product price negatively affect the online sales of health supplements, while functional position has a positive impact. In the peripheral path, brand reputation, additional services, and source credibility all exhibit significant positive effects. Additionally, supplement type plays a moderating role, with the positive influence of additional services on the sales of maintenance-oriented health supplements being notably stronger than that on regulation-oriented supplements.