The role of information cocoons in shaping consumer loyalty in e-commerce: a grounded theory study

Abstract

With the widespread use of personalized recommendations, information cocoons, which expose users to homogeneous, preference-aligned content, are increasingly relevant to consumer behavior. However, their structure and loyalty-related implications remain underexplored. Drawing on semi-structured interviews and grounded theory, this study identifies three structural dimensions: information conformity, information homogeneity, and information exclusivity. It further identifies perceived utility as an interpretive construct for understanding the relationship between information cocoons and consumer loyalty. Interpretations of the association between information cocoons and perceived utility varied across product-involvement contexts. The resulting framework offers insights for digital marketing and personalized information systems.