The effects of progress cues and gender on online wait.

A wait screen is one of the proactive mechanisms that have been suggested to manage online wait. Despite the presence of significant gender differences in traditional wait, a lack of studies in online wait context has been acknowledged. This study proposes a research model of online wait management based on the cognitive absorption theory and gender literature. We test the effects of online interface designs in a wait screen on waiting time perceptions across gender by manipulating the salience and framing of a progress cue. A total of 535 subjects participated in two controlled experiments. MANOVA and subsequent ANOVA tests were conducted. We found significant main and interaction effects of wait screen design cues and gender on the relationships between the design cues and cognitive absorption variables. Detailed theoretical and practical implications are provided.