Online purchase determinants: Is their effect moderated by direct experience?

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the moderating influence of direct online shopping experience in an e‐commerce context.

Design/methodology/approach

The conceptual framework links attitudinal constructs such as price attractiveness, merchandise quality, service quality, time/effort costs, risk and enjoyment to future online purchase intentions. Purchasers and inquirers of a car insurance comparison website were approached by personalized email to participate in an online questionnaire. Multi‐group structural equation analysis was used to test for group differences in the structural weights.

Findings

Compared to the purchasers, the inquirers were more concerned with the perceived enjoyment, risk and price attractiveness offered by the website, while caring less about time/effort savings. Inquirers were negatively influenced by the price attractiveness of their chosen insurance, which indicates that they were less likely to use the website for future transactions if they were satisfied with their current price.

Research limitations/implications

Future research could extend the current research by investigating other potential moderators, such as socio‐demographics and psychographic variables.

Practical implications

Guidelines for managers of websites for financial services about how to convert inquirers into buyers and improve the loyalty of online buyers.

Originality/value

Draws upon insights from marketing, e‐commerce and information systems to provide substantial support for the hypotheses regarding the moderating influence of direct online shopping experience.

Citation

Broekhuizen, T. and Huizingh, E.K.R.E. (2009), "Online purchase determinants: Is their effect moderated by direct experience?", Management Research News, Vol. 32 No. 5, pp. 440-457. https://doi.org/10.1108/01409170910952949