Drawing upon the 'stimulus-organism-response' framework, this paper examines how the ease of navigation (EON) of a website affects consumers' online impulse buying. We also compared the effects of various virtual layouts (i.e. grid, freeform, racetrack, and mix grid-freeform) on consumers' perceptions of EON, emotional responses, and the urge to buy impulsively. Based on questionnaire responses from 216 participants in a stratified survey, we found that EON significantly influences consumers' emotional responses, pleasantness, and arousal, which subsequently affects their urge to buy impulsively. We also found that compared with the other three layouts, manifestations of navigability, freeform is the easiest to navigate, and is able to elicit the highest level of pleasantness and the strongest urge to buy impulsively. The findings of this study provide important implications for impulse buying research and practice.
PurposeThis study employed the commitment–trust theory in social psychology and relationship marketing to explore female customers' perception of channel integration quality in omnichannel retailing and its influence on their relationship commitment to and trust in the relationship with retailers, and thus on their stickiness. Channel integration quality consists of two dimensions: channel service configuration (channel choice breadth and channel service transparency) and integrated interactions (content consistency, process consistency and perceived fluency).Design/methodology/approachThe study was carried out via a questionnaire survey, to which 868 valid responses were collected. The partial least squares technique was used to test the hypotheses.FindingsChannel service transparency and perceived fluency influence relationship commitment; content consistency, process consistency and perceived fluency all have significant effects on trust. Interestingly, although less influential than integrated interactions, channel service configuration is the foundation of channel integration quality, testifying to its significant role.Originality/valueThis study provides strong evidence on how channel integration quality affects customer stickiness. Moreover, this study replicates the finding of significant relationships among relationship commitment, trust and stickiness in omnichannel retailing.
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