Informed Consent
This online consent form is a part of an informed consent process for a research study, and it will provide information that will help you decide whether you want to participate in the study. It is your choice to take part or not. You may ask questions if there is anything in the form that is not clear to you. If you decide to take part, instructions at the end of document will tell you what to do next. Your alternative to taking part in the research study is not to take part in the research study.
Who’s conducting the study and what is it about?
You are invited to take part in a research study that is being conducted by Nayland Smith who is a student in the Doctor of Business Administration program in the Marketing Department within the Rutgers University Business School. The purpose of the research is to assess shopping behavior on an e-commerce site. We anticipate that 400 to 560 subjects will take part in the research.
What will I be asked to do if I take part in the study?
You will be asked to complete a web-based questionnaire, read a web-based article, review a selection of products, and make a simulated virtual purchase that will be hosted on research.NaylandSmith.com. Please note that there is no expectation or need to use actual money. This experiment only tracks the activity, therefore, no credit, debit, or payment information will be requested or collected in the conduct of this study. The information will be anonymously collected. Your answers will not be tied to any personally identifiable information. Your participation in the study will be about 15 to 20 minutes.
To protect the validity of the information collected, the full details on the purpose of the study cannot be disclosed. After the study is completed, each participant will receive full disclosure on the purpose and findings of the study.
What are the risks of harm or discomfort I might experience if I take part in the study?
Breach of confidentiality is a risk of harm, but a data security plan is in place to minimize such a risk. To minimize risk, no personally identifiable information is collected, and all data will be password protected. Also, some questions may make you feel uncomfortable. If that happens, you can skip those questions or withdraw from the study altogether. If you decide to quit at any time before you have finished the questionnaire your answers will NOT be recorded.
Are there any benefits to me if I choose to take part in this study?
There are no direct benefits to you for taking part in this research. You will be contributing to knowledge about online purchase behaviors.
How will information about me be kept private or confidential?
All efforts will be made to keep your responses confidential, but total confidentiality cannot be guaranteed. All information captured in the study will remain confidential and private. Personally identifiable information will not be collected. The parties that will have access are the Principal Investigator and one advisory committee member of the study (collectively known as the research team), which will have access to the questionnaire responses by the participants and the activity data generated by the subject’s use of the e-commerce platform. Questionnaire responses will be password protected. and kept at a secured online location at Rutgers University on a secured database server. Study data, which is de-identified, will be kept at a minimum of six years or possibly indefinitely after study has been completed.
What will happen to information I provide in the research after the study is over?
The information collected about you for this research will not be used by or distributed to investigators for other research studies.
What will happen if I do not wish to take part in the study or I later decide not to stay in the study?
Your participation is voluntary. If you choose to participate now, you may change your mind and withdraw later. In addition, you can choose to skip questions that you do not wish to answer. If you do not click on the ‘NEXT’ button after completing the form, your responses will not be recorded. However, once you click the ‘NEXT’ button at the end of the form, your responses cannot be withdrawn as we will not know which answers are yours.
Who can I call if I have questions?
If you have questions about participating in this study, you can contact the Principal Investigator: Nayland Smith, Marketing Department, via phone at (201)892-6186 or via email at Nayland.Smith@rutgers.edu.
If you have questions, concerns, problems, information or input about the research or would like to know your rights as a research subject, you can contact the Rutgers IRB or the Rutgers Human Subjects Protection Program via phone at (973) 972-3608 or (732) 235-2866 or (732) 235-9806 OR via email irboffice@research.rutgers.edu, or you can write us at 335 George Street, Liberty Plaza Suite 3200, New Brunswick, NJ 08901.
Please print a copy of this consent form for your records.
If you are 18 years of age or older, understand the statements above, and consent to take part in the study, click on the "I Agree" button to begin the research. If not, please click on the “I Do Not Agree” button which exit you from this screen/program.