Abstract: Although the Internet is a highly interactive and personal medium, online advertising has yet to fully integrate consumer preferences into the communication process. One key consideration in this area is consumers’ level of willingness to engage in interaction with advertisers. Using both qualitative and quantitative methods, the current research identifies and tests six factors that affect consumers’ tendency to engage in interactive online communication – technology expertise, perceived value, perceived risk, time-pressedness, ease of computer access, and age. The current findings suggest the need to adapt advertising strategies to consumer needs instead of blindly increase the interactivity of online ads.