Results from two studies depending on consumers’ network positions (outer or central), experts and novices behave when searching information about their networks or commodity’s related to those networks. Experts in central network positions (vs. outer) search for more network-related information, while novices in the same positions search for more commodity-related information. In comparison, experts in outer network positions (vs. central) search for more commodity-related information, while outer novices search for more network-related information. These findings are useful for companies to better access to their brand communities. Since, central experts and outer novices search for network-related information, marketers should facilitate ways to improve their receptivity to this type of information. Similarly, since outer experts and central novices search for commodity-related information. Marketers should devise methods to deliver commodity-specific information to these consumers. Therefore, marketers should consider both consumer’s level of expertise and their network positions to better predict consumer’s information searching behaviors. Regarding to the importance of social networks in consumer decision making, this research indicates the effect and importance of consumer's network position on information searching for behavior of experts and novices.
