Role of Shopping Values and Web Atmospherics in E-Satisfaction and Repurchase Intention

Expected to touch US$55 billion in 2016, the e-commerce market in India presents an unprecedented growth opportunity for retailers. Existing studies have identified factors influencing shoppers’ online behaviour pertaining to the developed economies. Hence, it becomes pertinent to validate these antecedents for the economies like India. The article addresses this gap by examining the role of shopping values and web atmospherics, on e-satisfaction of Indian shoppers. Using multiple regression analysis, it also examines the influence of e-satisfaction on repurchase intention. The findings suggest that effectiveness of information content has the most significant impact on e-satisfaction. Web entertainment, utilitarian values and web informativeness are the other influencing factors. Contrary to the earlier studies, this study didn’t find any influence of hedonic shopping values on shoppers’ satisfaction. Also, e-satisfaction was found to have a positive influence on repurchase intention of e-shoppers. The article suggests select strategies that can be adopted by e-retailers.     

Online grocery shopping: the impact of shopping frequency on perceived risk

Online grocery shopping has enjoyed strong growth and it is predicted this channel will continue to grow exponentially in the coming years. While online shopping has attracted an abundance of research interest, examinations of online grocery shopping behaviour are only now emerging. Shopping online for groceries differs considerably from general online shopping due to the perishability and variability of the product, and frequency of the shopping activity. Two salient gaps underpin this research into online grocery shopping. This study responds to calls to investigate the online shoppers’ experience in the context of online purchasing frequency. Second, this study examines the mediating effect of perceived risk between trust and online repurchase intention of groceries. An online survey was employed to collect data from shoppers who were recruited from a multi-channel grocery e-retailer’s database. The online survey, comprising 16 reflective validated scale items, was sent to 555 frequent and infrequent online grocery shoppers. Results find that while customer satisfaction predicts trust for both infrequent and frequent online grocery shoppers, perceived risk fully mediates the effect of trust on repurchase intentions for infrequent online grocery shoppers. Furthermore, path analysis reveals that the developed behavioural model is variant across both groups of shoppers. Theoretically, we provide a deeper understanding of the online customer experience, while gaining insight into two shopper segments identified as being important to grocery e-retailers. For managers, this study tests an online customer behavioural model with actual purchasing behaviour and identifies the continued presence of perceived risk in grocery e-retailing, regardless of purchase frequency or experience.     

The effects of shopping value on retail outcomes: a comparison between department stores and hypermarkets

Shopping in various retail formats involves both utilitarian and hedonic value. Taiwan residents shop at department stores and hypermarkets frequently, compared to other retailers. This study contrasts the differential effects of shopping value on retail outcomes in department stores and hypermarkets. The results support predicted relationships: (1) in the department store context, (a) hedonic shopping value perceived by shoppers is higher than utilitarian shopping value; (b) hedonic shopping value has a greater effect on satisfaction and word-of-mouth than utilitarian shopping value; and (2) in the hypermarket context, (a) utilitarian shopping value perceived by shoppers is higher than hedonic shopping value; (b) utilitarian shopping value has a greater effect on satisfaction and repatronage intentions than hedonic shopping value.     

Multichannel Shopping Through Nontraditional Retail Formats: Variety-Seeking Behavior With Hedonic and Utilitarian Motivations

Understanding motivations of multichannel shoppers is critical for retailers, especially in terms of how retailers can best attract shoppers to and orient shoppers across different channel options. Our study thus seeks to understand multichannel shopping through nontraditional retail formats by studying the effects of shoppers' hedonic and utilitarian motives. We used the theory of variety-seeking behavior for conceptualization, and analyzed data from a large-scale U.S. consumer survey. Our findings suggest that both hedonic and utilitarian factors are important predictors of multichannel shopping. Hedonic motivations have more explanatory power for high-level multichannel shopping than for moderate-level multichannel shopping, as compared to non-multichannel shopping.     

Online Shopper Motivations, and e-Store Attributes: An Examination of Online Patronage Behavior and Shopper Typologies

e-Stores and online shopping have become important aspects of a retailer's strategy. Previous research suggests that online shoppers are fundamentally different from traditional offline shoppers. However, based on the Big Middle Theory (Levy et al. 2005), the authors believe that there are segments of online shoppers that are very similar to regular shopper groups. To determine this, online shopping motivations and e-store attribute importance measures are separately used as the basis to develop online shopper typologies. Results reveal that there are more similarities than differences among traditional and online store shoppers. However, there are a few unique shopper types present at online stores, attracted by the distinctive characteristics and attributes of the online retail environment. The findings offer interesting implications for online retail strategy.     

Examining shopping mall consumer decision-making styles,satisfaction and purchase intention

Understanding consumer decision-making (CDM) styles is essential for market segmentation, positioning and crafting marketing strategies within a market. Few studies have examined the structural relationship among decision-making styles that consumers exhibit during mall shopping, level of satisfaction and purchase intention. The purpose of this study was to examine CDM styles as the antecedents and predictors of level of satisfaction and purchase intention. Based on the Consumer Styles Inventory, eight CDM styles that individual exhibit during shopping mall activities are proposed in terms of utilitarian and hedonic perspectives. We hypothesize these eight CDM styles as a set of predictors of customer satisfaction and purchase intention. A total of 327 valid paper-and-pencil questionnaires were collected from several shopping malls in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Partial least squares (PLS) path modelling approach, a structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) technique was performed to test the proposed structural relationships. The empirical assessment supports that hedonic shopping styles consumers that exhibit high level of habitual, brand consciousness, fashion consciosness, recreational conscious style have lower levels of satisfaction and purchase intention during mall shopping while novelty and fashion conscious style consumers have lower level of satisfaction but do not unveil lower purchase intention. Utilitarian shopping styles consumers that exhibit high level of price conscious, confused by overchoice and high-quality conscious style have higher levels of satisfaction while impulsive/careless shoppers do not; and while price conscious, impulsive/careless, confused by overchoice consumers have higher levels of purchase intention but the high-quality conscious consumers do not unveil higher purchase intention. Further, there is a positive relationship between satisfaction and purchase intention. The practical and managerial implications are discussed.     

Please explain why it happened! How perceived justice and customer involvement affect post co-recovery evaluations: A study of Iranian online shoppers

As online shopping is growing, the probability of service failure is increasing, too. Therefore, online retailers need to employ particular recovery strategies in online setting. Online shopping relies more on information and communication rather than traditional shopping. In addition, involving consumers in co-recovery procedure triggers them to perceive post-recovery satisfaction higher than usual, hence, resulting enhancement behavioral intentions (i.e. positive word-of-mouth, repurchase intention, loyalty, intention to future co-creation). While recent researches in online shopping did not examine the impact of informational justice and co-recovery, this study aims to investigate the influence of four justice dimensions (e.g. distributive, procedural, interactional and informational) by mediating role on involvement on post-recovery satisfaction. Thus, a scenario-based, between-subjects experiment was performed to reduce extreme memories and biases of the subject matter. A sample of 278 Iranian online shoppers from two shopping websites (i.e. Digikala and Bamilo) was employed to analyze data. Covariance-Based Structural Equation Modeling (CB-SEM) was employed to analyze data. First, the measurement model was performed to check validity and reliability of the constructs involved in the conceptual framework. Then, proposed hypotheses were tested using structural model. Results show that justice dimensions are positively associated with post-recovery satisfaction. Also, it is confirmed that involvement is mediator between justice dimensions and satisfaction, which means customers participation in recovery procedure is necessary in online post-recovery assessment. These findings also suggest that informational justice should be consider as a crucial factor in online shopping, particularly online recovery. Results suggest that managers should be generous to share information with customers and explain them what is the reason of failure, in detail. Finally, post-recovery satisfaction is positively related to behavioral intentions such as positive word of mouth, loyalty; repurchase intention and future co-creation tendency.     

The moderating effects of in-store marketing on the relationships between shopping motivations and loyalty intentions

This study attempts to understand the moderating roles of in-store marketing by incorporating the effects of shopping motivations on repatronage and word-of-mouth intentions in the context of fashion apparel by applying theories related to self-determination and social impact. Structural equation modeling using data collected from young adult fashion apparel shoppers in Thailand reveals positive effects of shopping motivations. The utilitarian shopping motivation shows a greater effect in predicting loyalty intentions than hedonistic shopping motivation. In-store marketing is shown to have a moderating effect on loyalty intentions, although the influence of each moderator on the investigated direct effects varies. The findings can prove helpful to fashion apparel retailers in developing effective advertising and promotional strategies that correspond to the specific needs of the shoppers to promote store loyalty intentions.     

Perceived value,transaction cost,and repurchase-intention in online shopping: A relational exchange perspective

This study proposes a framework to understand the impacts of both value-related and transaction cost-related factors on repurchase intention from online shoppers' perspective. In particular, this study defines the construct of cost as a three-component conceptualization (i.e., information searching cost, moral hazard cost, and specific asset investment). Based upon empirical evidence on a survey of 887 online shoppers, this study shows that consumers' perceived value and each cost component are positively related to repurchase intention. Importantly, information searching cost exerts the most significant influence on repurchase intentions among the four relational factors. The result suggests that providing sufficient cues to reduce consumers' information searching cost is the core element of repurchase intention formation. This article closes with theoretical and practical implications.     

基于消费者体验的在线购物价值研究

伴随着在线零售的迅速发展,在线购物体验及其衍生的购物体验价值日益受到学术界和实务人士的重视。基于消费者体验视角,本文考察了在线购物体验的四个维度,即感官体验、实用体验、认知体验与关系体验,识别出在线购物体验价值的四种类型,包括经济性价值、社会性价值、享乐性价值以及利他性价值——本研究证实的一种新的购物体验价值,发现消费者感知的在线购物体验会正向影响购物体验价值,后者又会对在线购物意向产生正向影响。研究还发现,性别、互联网经验、网购年龄及网购频率会影响消费者的在线购物体验及体验价值感知。     

Electronic logistics service quality and repurchase intention in e-tailing: Catalytic role of shopping satisfaction,payment options,gender and returning experience

This paper empirically examines the mediating role of shopping satisfaction between electronic logistics service quality (e-LSQ) and repurchase intention. Further, this paper investigates the moderating role of gender, payment options, and returns or replacement experience on the link between e-LSQ and shopping satisfaction (and repurchase intention). Empirical data comprising 640 Indian online shoppers are analyzed with covariance-based structural equation modeling. The findings indicated that the condition of the shipment is the most crucial e-LSQ dimension and its linkage with shopping satisfaction varies across payment options, gender, and returning experience. The poor condition of the shipment might have triggered the returns in e-tailing in the Indian context. The findings will help e-tail managers design a robust logistics network to retain and win despondent customers.     

新零售企业多渠道整合服务质量对重购意愿的影响--顾客涉入度的调节作用

采取线上线下多渠道整合的零售模式已成为新零售企业主流模式,顾客重购意愿是新零售企业重要竞争力之一,也是衡量多渠道整合服务实施效果的重要标准。通过构建以顾客体验为中介的多渠道整合服务质量对重购意愿影响概念模型,引入顾客涉入度作为调节变量,经过调查分析384名在同一新零售企业线上线下渠道有购物经历的消费者,研究结论如下:多渠道整合服务质量对重购意愿有显著积极影响;多渠道整合服务质量对顾客体验有显著积极影响;顾客体验对顾客重购意愿有显著积极影响;顾客体验在多渠道整合服务质量与重购意愿之间起部分中介作用;顾客涉入度在多渠道整合服务质量与顾客体验关系中起正向调节作用。研究结论拓展了多渠道整合服务质量对重购意愿影响的内在机理,明确了顾客体验在其中的重要中介作用,探明了顾客涉入度在多渠道整合服务质量影响顾客体验过程中的重要调节作用。新零售企业既可以通过多渠道整合服务质量提升顾客重购意愿,也可以通过极致的顾客体验提升重购意愿,而且通过加强顾客涉入度管理可有效提升顾客体验与重购意愿。     

Satisfaction of mall shoppers: A study on perceived utilitarian and hedonic shopping values

Declining consumer footfall and diminishing sales in Indian metro cities have guided the expansion of malls in cities of central India. Shoppers of these cities are unfamiliar with the mall concept and have limited exposure of shopping values in the past. The present research focused on the influence of utilitarian and hedonic shopping values on satisfaction of mall shoppers of central India Bhopal by establishing a proposed research framework based on 288 responses from two shopping malls, using utilitarian and hedonic dimensions of shopping values. Confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling (SEM) are used to analyze and validate the proposed research framework. The result supports the relationship between shopping values and customer satisfaction, where both the shopping values show positive significant influences on customer satisfaction. Therefore this research paper would help mall owners to focus on these shopping values effectively and efficiently while planning malls in central India for gaining competitive advantage, attracting new customer and hold their profitable customers by enhancing customer satisfaction with shopping values in the current retail scenario.     

Online Purchase Paths and Conversion Dynamics across Multiple Websites

Low transportation costs online allow shoppers to visit multiple e-commerce sites for a purchase decision. This research investigates online shoppers’ visit and purchase behaviors across competing websites. To consider that shoppers’ longitudinal cross-site visit data may consist of several unobserved shopping episodes, we propose a modeling approach to probabilistically clustering and relating online visits to latent shopping episodes, based on the temporal patterns of the visit events. The inferences are then used to examine shoppers’ visit-to-purchase behavior across websites. Using Internet clickstream data on individual-level browsing and transaction records at major air travel sites, we find that online shoppers’ cross-site visit patterns tend to be clustered and the purchase propensity is significantly higher at later visits within a visit cluster, compared to earlier visits. As our results suggest the possibility that visit clusters can serve as a reasonable proxy for shopping episodes, we look further into shoppers’ website choice and purchase behaviors within a cluster. We discuss how the cluster-based analysis can help managers tailor online marketing and advertising strategies based on shoppers’ cross-site visit and purchase patterns.     

Do Mystery Shoppers Really Predict Customer Satisfaction and Sales Performance?

Mystery shopping (MS) is a widely used tool to monitor the quality of service and personal selling. In consultative retail settings, assessments of mystery shoppers are supposed to capture the most relevant aspects of salespeople’s service and sales behavior. Given the important conclusions drawn by managers from MS results, the standard assumption seems to be that assessments of mystery shoppers are strongly related to customer satisfaction and sales performance. However, surprisingly scant empirical evidence supports this assumption. We test the relationship between MS assessments and customer evaluations and sales performance with large-scale data from three service retail chains. Surprisingly, we do not find a substantial correlation. The results show that mystery shoppers are not good proxies for real customers. While MS assessments are not related to sales, our findings confirm the established correlation between customer satisfaction measurements and sales results.     

Why Do Consumers Go Internet Shopping Again? Understanding the Antecedents of Repurchase Intention

Consumer intention of reusing online websites for shopping is a major consequence for an electronic commerce company's profitability. Therefore, understanding the factors that influence online customers' repurchase intentions is of great importance to the EC companies. Drawing on specific dimensions of Social Cognitive Theory (SCT), Information Systems continuance model, Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), and empirical findings from prior studies as antecedents, the related factors were adapted and integrated within the context of Internet shopping repurchase intentions and were tested in a field study. Empirical data for hypotheses testing were collected from the online virtual store of 7-ELEVEN in Taiwan, yielding 444 valid samples. The results show that online consumer repurchase intention is determined by satisfaction, perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and Internet shopping self-efficacy. Satisfaction is influenced by perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, confirmation, and positive Internet shopping experience. Perceived usefulness, in turn, is influenced by behavior modeling, positive Internet shopping experience, Internet shopping self-efficacy, and confirmation. Confirmation is affected by positive Internet shopping experience and behavior modeling. In addition, confirmation has significant effects on perceived ease of use. Finally, positive Internet shopping experience appeared to have a significant impact on Internet shopping self-efficacy. From the empirical data, meaningful findings and conclusions are derived, and suggestions for future research are also discussed.     

Retail market segmentation: the use of consumer decision-making styles,overall satisfaction and demographics

The objective of the current study was to determine segments of younger and older retail shoppers on the basis of the use of decision-making styles, overall satisfaction and demographic factors. To collect data for this study a structured questionnaire was administered to a sample of 894 urban shoppers residing in two cities in Botswana whose ages were between 18 and 64 years. The shoppers were intercepted in the shopping malls. The unique aspects of this study include the analysis of age differences in the factor structure of consumer decision-making styles as well as the investigation of hybrid segments of the general shopping public using consumer decision-making styles in conjunction with overall satisfaction and demographic factors. Eight decision-making styles emerged for both younger and older shoppers. However, only three styles being Time energy conserving, Perfectionism, and Habitual buying emerged in both age groups. The key findings also reflected that both younger and older shoppers were represented in three segments which were labelled as: uninhibited, functional and laid-back shoppers. Younger shoppers were also classified as recreational quality seekers whilst older shoppers were labelled as novelty–quality seekers. The use of decision-making styles varied significantly across the four segments in each age group. Further differences were observed based on overall satisfaction, education, marital status and income subject to the age group. These results represent a solid attempt to extend knowledge of shopping behaviour in a modern retail sector within a developing country, which is essential for retail mix development and positioning strategies.     

The role of fashionability in second-hand shopping motivations

Second-hand consumption has been quietly undergoing a makeover in recent years. As part of this shift, the concept of shopping for second-hand goods has been redefined. In today's retail marketplace, a mix of thrift stores, high-end stores, and online retailers are recognising the value of second-hand and hosting flea markets or launching their own vintage product collections. However, limited research attention has been paid to role of ‘fashionability’ as a motivation for consumers to shop for second-hand goods. In this study, we explore modern consumer second-hand shopping behaviour and motivations, inclusive of fashionability. Through a segmentation of second-hand store shoppers, we identify four distinct segments. While we find a polarisation of fashionability motivations, the vast majority (83%) of second-hand shoppers are driven by fashion when shopping in second-hand stores. The findings present several implications for second-hand retailers, including new ways to expand their customer base by tapping into elements of fashionability.     

Satisfaction,loyalty and repatronage intentions: Role of hedonic shopping values

Today the Indian traditional retail shopper visiting various hypermarkets formats for purchasing and enjoying their valuable time with their family members and friends, as these formats offer hedonic shopping values. Therefore, this research paper focused on hypermarket shoppers of central India and the main objective of this study is to identify the role of hedonic shopping values on creation of satisfaction, loyalty and repatronage intentions with the help of proposed research framework based on 329 responses. Confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling (SEM) is use to analyze and validate the proposed research framework. The result supports the relationship between hedonic shopping values with customer satisfaction, loyalty and repatronage intentions. The study also demonstrate the moderating role of gender on these relationship, which shows that both male and female consumer have different level of shopping behavior when it comes to see the influence of hedonic shopping values. Therefore, this research paper would help hypermarket retailers to design their retail store environment more attractively to maintain the optimum customer satisfaction level that enhance the loyalty and repatronage intentions in the customer in this current competitive retail scenario.     

Receptivity to advertising messages and desired shopping values

Advertising designed around the ‘value’ notion represents a way to deal with widespread retail competition and knowledgeable, empowered consumers. This study empirically examines the influence of receptivity to advertising messages (RTAM) on desired shopping values and assesses whether this relationship is moderated by gender, age, and income. The structural model indicates that, compared to low‐RTAM shoppers, high‐RTAM shoppers tend to perceive each of the six value dimensions, (i.e. monetary cost saving, time cost saving, energy cost saving, post‐sale customer support, engaging store environment, and personal leisure experience) as more important in making a retail patronage decision. Further analysis shows that the links from RTAM to monetary cost saving and to post‐sale customer support are stronger for younger male shoppers. Another interesting finding is that the link from RTAM to monetary cost saving is stronger for high‐income shoppers whereas the link from RTAM to engaging store environment is stronger for low‐ and middle‐income shoppers. If retail advertisers are aware of the value dimensions that are crucial to the high‐RTAM segment within specific target markets, they could achieve advertising goals more effectively and efficiently through tailored advertising messages.