Success of informing in the computer information system era are dependent on receiver competences in two areas as identified by Michael Buckland (1991) – subject expertise and expertise to use efficiently the information system providing the service. The impact of the receiver’s expertise on both aspects are of crucial importance for the success in information retrieval and are also critically important in e-commerce, which appeared a decade later.
Lack of expertise in using the computer information system or Internet simply excludes such customers from the e-commerce market. The level of receiver’s expertise in the subject area affects the success of e-commerce in contrast with the expertise of provider. The difference in the expertise between sender and receiver has impact on success of communication is known as information asymmetry (see next chapter). A high expertise in the subject area reduces information asymmetry and reduces the likelihood of misinforming. Information asymmetry is the major factor for misinforming. Also, the asymmetry in system’s expertise may result in misinforming.