4.1. Sample
A convenience sample of 293 subjects was recruited by e-mail. The e-mail stated that two researchers
from a large business school were conducting a study on electronic commerce and that participants had a
chance of wining one of the products about which the experiment was designed. Potential participants did
not know in advance the types of products that were to be tested. Subjects participated in the study from
the location where they usually use the Internet. The majority of subjects were between the ages of 18 and
29 years (84%). Fifty-one percent were female, almost one third were working full time (32%); 25% of
subjects were full-time students and another 33% were part-time workers and students. On average,
subjects had been using the Internet for 4.6 years and currently used it 17 hours per week.