In recent years, researchers and marketers have tried to figure out the impact factors of adopting credence products. Previous research tries to answer this question on the lens of enterprises. However, few studies focus on the view of consumer behavior. Attempting to fill this gap, the current research examines the moderating effect of self-construal on consumers’ preference to different kinds of market signals（online review vs. third-party certification）under the context of online shopping. Specially, we propose that consumers with independent self-construal prefer more on third-party certification signals rather than online review signals, leading to a better attitude. However, consumers with interdependent self-construal show more preference on online review signals（vs. third-party certification signals）. To test our hypothesis, three studies were conducted and 478 university students from a large university were recruited to participate in our studies. All the three studies are a 2（market signals: online review vs. third-party certification）× 2（self-construal: independent vs. interdependent）between-subject design.

Study 1 tests the hypothesis by measuring self-construal and the result shows that consumers with independent self-construal prefer more on third-party certification signals rather than online review signals. However, consumers with interdependent self-construal show more preference on online review signals. Furthermore, Study 2 repeats the result of study 1 by manipulating self-construal in a way of asking participants to circle the pronoun. Besides, this research verifies the mediating effect of trust in the formation of consumer attitude. Finally, the robust results are examined again in Study 3 by using another manipulation of self-construal. Using recall accuracy rather than product attitude as the dependent variable, the result shows that market signals have an interaction with self-construal. Consumers with independent self-construal have a higher accuracy when the information is third-party certification signals rather than online review signals.

Three studies collectively demonstrate that consumers with independent self-construal prefer more on third-party certification signals rather than online review signals, leading to a better attitude. However, consumers with interdependent self-construal show more preference on online review signals（vs. third party certification signals）. In addition, we identify potential motives underlying individuals’ different attitudes toward market signals: perceived trust. Our research enriches the understanding of market signals and introduces the moderating variable of self-construal to explain how market signals affect consumers’ attitude and information process. On the other hand, the results also have significant marketing practical implication. Due to consumers’ different personal traits, enterprises should focus on the target consumers and take different communication strategies to increase the attraction of products.