Prior research has shown that the type of product affects consumers’ use of personal information sources and their influence on consumers’ choices (Bearden & Etzel, 1982; Childers & Rao, 1992; King & Balasubramanian, 1994). Nelson (1970) suggests that goods can be classified as possessing either search or experience qualities. Search qualities are those that “the consumer can determine by inspection prior to purchase,” and experience qualities are those that “are not determined prior to purchase” (Nelson, 1974, p. 730). Since it is difficult or even impossible to evaluate experience products before purchase, consumers should rely more on product recommendations for these products than for search products. In support of this view, King and Balasubramanian (1994) found that consumers assessing a search product (e.g., a 35-mm camera) are more likely to use own-based decision-making processes than consumers assessing an experience product, and that consumers evaluating an experience product (e.g., a film-processing service) rely more on other-based and hybrid decision-making processes than consumers assessing a search product.