Consumers don't always choose the cheapest option when shopping online.
Sellers online often have different prices for the same item, even when they are selling identical products. In a study where cell phone credits were sold at different prices, it was found that even when consumers searched for the lowest price, some still chose to buy the higher priced item. This shows that price isn't the only factor influencing online shopping decisions. By changing where the prices were shown on the screen, researchers were able to see that both search cost and limited attention play a role in price differences online.