Ph. D. Scholar, Institute of Management, Nirma University, SG Highway, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India, Email id: nehasingh@nirmauni.ac.in
Online published on 7 January, 2019.
The purpose of the paper is to conceptualise and establish the model of online grocery buying behaviour with the support of elaboration likelihood model by adding characteristics of online grocery e-word of mouth like dispersed rating and message valence. The study also establishes the moderating role product category involvement in the process.
A controlled laboratory experiment following a 2(dispersion: high vs. low) × 2 (message valence: positive x negative) between subject designs is used with dispersion and message valence being manipulated and shopping cart abandonment being measured.
The results indicate that negative valence and high dispersion has a more profound effect as compared to positive valence and low dispersion. Moreover, the study revealed that consumers with high involvement in groceries are not affected by external stimuli. Based on the result, the study provides managerial implication for the marketers in terms of managing customer reviews.
First, online review with their specific details are found to be more influential in affecting the shopping cart abandonment process. As a result, marketers must encourage customers to spread positive word of mouth and encourage manager to leverage a negative review to quickly resolve customer issues.
The study tests two previously unstudied variables in the context online reviews and shopping cart abandonment process. Moreover, the study provides exciting insights to marketers, reviewers and bloggers.
Car abandonment, eWOM, Message valence, Online grocery shopping, Online reviews, Rating dispersion
