Unraveling the Dual Effects of Online Contextual Information Disclosure on Offline Transactions

In online-to-offline (O2O) platforms, online information significantly influences offline transactions. However, the existing body of literature has focused exclusively on attribute information disclosure, while overlooking contextual information disclosure. Unlike attribute information, contextual information portrays the transactional environment, which may not necessarily hinder decision-making when unavailable. To address this gap, we situate our work in the electric vehicle charging contexts and use data from a major charging station operator in China. By employing propensity score matching and difference-in-differences approaches, we found that online contextual information disclosure demonstrates dual effects on offline transactions by increasing stations’ equipment utilization rate but elevating relative occupancy orders. Additionally, we analyze the moderating roles of competitive intensity and price discount. Furthermore, based on anchoring effects, we elucidate the mechanisms through which contextual information disclosure affects transactional outcomes. Our findings provide actionable managerial implications for O2O platforms to optimize their online contextual information disclosure strategies.