- Log In/Sign Up
- E-ISSN2233-5382
- KCI
E-ISSN : 2233-5382
Construal Levels and Online Shopping: Antecedents of Visits to and Purchases from Online Retailers’ Websites
Jo, Gin-Young
Hwang, Yoon-Yong
Abstract
Purpose - This study explores the role of construal levels in predicting online consumer behavior on a retail website. It builds on the conceptualization that simply browsing a website and making actual purchases can be an outcome of how abstractly or concretely one thinks about that experience. This study examines the differential effects of intermediary websites' attributes and seller's product offerings in predicting frequency of visits and actual purchases. Research design, data, and methodology - Data were collected from 188 undergraduate students in a large university of Korea. Hierarchical regression model was utilized to test the proposed effect of website characteristics and seller attributes on visit and purchase. Results - We propose and find that online shopping website visits and purchase frequency have different antecedents. The results reveal that website visit frequency and purchase have different predictors and this can be explained through construal level theory. Specifically, we find purchase frequency is predicted more by website image and financial benefits can be more predictive in actual purchases. Conclusions - Consumer behavior on the internet can be delineated into website visits and actual purchases. First, uplifting the image of the website itself is much more important than just making offerings cheaper. Online shopping website should try to match its features to mental representations that customers go through from just visit (abstract) to purchase (concrete).
- keywords
- Online Shopping, Construal Level Theory, Website Visit, Purchase
Reference
Arnold, M. J., & Reynolds, K. E. (2003). Hedonic shopping motivations. Journal of retailing, 79(2), 77-95.
Bakos, Y. (1998). The emerging role of electronic marketplaces on the internet. Communications of the ACM, 41(8), 35-42.
Budman, M. (1998). Why are so many websites so bad?. Across the board, 35, 29-35.
Chen, J. H., & Seock, Y. K. (2002). Adolescents' clothing purchase motivations, information sources, and store selection criteria: a comparison of male/female and impulse/non-impulse shoppers. Family and Consumer Sciences Research Journal, 31(1), 50-77.
Childers, T. L., Carr, C. L., Peck, J., & Carson, S. (2002). Hedonic and utilitarian motivations for online retail shopping behavior. Journal of retailing, 77(4), 511-535.
Chiu, C. M., Wang, E. T., Fang, Y. H., & Huang, H. Y. (2014). Understanding customers' repeat purchase intentions in B2C e!commerce: the roles of utilitarian value, hedonic value and perceived risk. Information Systems Journal, 24(1), 85-114.
Ganesh, J., Reynolds, K. E., Luckett, M., & Pomirleanu, N.(2010). Online shopper motivations, and e-store attributes: An examination of online patronage behavior and shopper typologies. Journal of Retailing, 86(1), 106-115.
Garbarino, E., & Strahilevitz, M. (2004). Gender differences in the perceived risk of buying online and the effects of receiving a site recommendation. Journal of Business Research, 57(7), 768-775.
GE Capital (2013). Study: 81% research online before making big purchases. Retailing Today, Retrieved April 26, 2016, from http://www.retailingtoday.com/article/study-81-research-online-making-bigpurchases.
Gefen, D., Karahanna, E., & Straub, D. W. (2003). Trust and TAM in online shopping: an integrated model. MIS quarterly, 27(1), 51-90.
Guo, Y. M., & Poole, M. S. (2009). Antecedents of flow in online shopping: A test of alternative models. Information Systems Journal, 19(4), 369-390.
Hong, I. B., & Cho, H. (2011). The impact of consumer trust on attitudinal loyalty and purchase intentions in B2C e-marketplaces: Intermediary trust vs. seller trust. International Journal of Information Management, 31(5), 469-479.
Hood, K. M., Shanahan, K. J., Hopkins, C. D., & Lindsey, K.K. (2015). The influence of interactivity on visit and purchase frequency: the moderating role of website informational features. Journal of Internet Commerce, 14(3), 294-315.
Koufaris, M. (2002). Applying the technology acceptance model and flow theory to online consumer behavior. Information systems research, 13(2), 205-223.
McKnight, D. H., & Chervany, N. L. (2001). What trust means in e-commerce customer relationships: an interdisciplinary conceptual typology. International journal of electronic commerce, 6(2), 35-59.
Rohm, A. J., & Swaminathan, V. (2004). A typology of online shoppers based on shopping motivations. Journal of business research, 57(7), 748-757.
Soscia, I., Girolamo, S., & Busacca, B. (2010). The effect of comparative advertising on consumer perceptions:similarity or differentiation?. Journal of Business and Psychology, 25(1), 109-118.
Srinivasan, S. S., Anderson, R., & Ponnavolu, K. (2002). Customer loyalty in e-commerce: an exploration of its antecedents and consequences. Journal of retailing, 78(1), 41-50.
Trope, Y., & Liberman, N. (2010). Construal-level theory of psychological distance. Psychological review, 117(2), 440-463.
Trope, Y., Liberman, N., & Wakslak, C. (2007). Construal levels and psychological distance: Effects on representation, prediction, evaluation, and behavior. Journal of consumer psychology, 17(2), 83-95.
Wolfinbarger, M., & Gilly, M. C. (2001). Shopping online for freedom, control, and fun. California Management Review, 43(2), 34-55.
Wolhandler, H. C. (1999). Real numbers behind ’Net Profits 1999. ActivMedia Res.6th annual survey of online commerce (May 1999), Retrieved April 28, 2016, from http://www.activmediaresearch.com/real_numbers_1999.html.
Yoo, C., Park, J., & MacInnis, D. J. (1998). Effects of store characteristics and in-store emotional experiences on store attitude. Journal of Business Research, 42(3), 253-263.
Zeithaml, V. A, Parasuraman, A., & Malhotra, A. (2005). ESQUAL a multiple-item scale for assessing electronic service quality. Journal of service research, 7(3), 213-233.
- Downloaded
- Viewed
- 0KCI Citations
- 0WOS Citations