A major challenge for online vendor website operations is serving
information that meets visitor needs at a given point in their purchase process.
The problem arises from the complexity of human behaviour, as well as changing
needs with the evolution of consumer knowledge and skills through the purchase
process. The most difficult element, however, is determining the effects of
information provided on the site, as well as from other sources that the consumer
may access, and anticipating resulting consumer needs. This paper discusses
the contributions and limitations of current modelling techniques and utility
studies of online consumer information to model consumer needs in real time.
An alternative basis for real-time customer need appraisal is proposed using
clickstream and customer input data combined with online information utility
to enable more effective information serving. This requires further academic
research and changes in practitioner online marketing operations.