Consumers' behavioral intention toward online shopping in the post‐COVID‐19 period

Abstract

Infectious COVID‐19 transformed the world overnight, freezing all physical activities and forcing the majority toward online mode. Technology came up as a savior to alleviate the consequences of COVID‐19 on the economy, causing a rapid transformation in consumers' behavior, and an overall jump in the sale of e‐commerce could be witnessed globally. This paper aims to explore the factors that caused the transformation in consumers' behavioral attitude (AT) and intention toward online shopping (BITOS). The study integrates the TPB and UTAUT models while adding two additional variables, namely, perceived risks (PR) and perceived benefits (PB), to predict consumers' BITOS. A survey was conducted to collect a sample of 402 consumers Aligarh city, and the National Capital Region of India using the mall intercept sampling method. The data were analysed to establish the measurement model and test the hypothesized structural model with the Smart‐PLS software. The study's findings confirmed that PB, subjective social norms, perceived ease of use, and perceived usefulness positively affect AT and BITOS, whereas PR does not influence AT and BITOS. The study also indicated that AT has a positive effect on BITOS. Concerning AT, it does not mediate the relationship between PR and BITOS; however, it mediates between the direct link PB and BITOS, making it stronger. The study's findings help the E‐commerce industry understand consumers' transformed attitudes/intentions and restructure their strategies to strengthen their online business further. Despite its regional and design limitations, it contributes significantly to the current research on online shopping behavior in India during COVID‐19.

Intention to use telemedicine services during a health crisis: A motivation‐opportunity‐ability theory approach

“…These encompass cognitive elements (e.g., perceived benefits) and affective factors (e.g., phobia related to a new disease). The desire for perceived benefits plays a pivotal role as an incentive when individuals transition from offline‐based services to less familiar online‐based services (Khatoon et al, 2023; Mehrolia et al, 2020). Moreover, phobia arising from a new infectious outbreak represents a spontaneous reaction to uncertainty, disrupting individuals' routine activities such as the frequency of mobile shopping (Chopdar et al, 2022).…”

“…People fear contracting the virus through surface contact or in the air, with hospitals being viewed as particularly high‐risk environments where chairs, tables, papers, door handles, medical equipment, and even individuals are considered potential sources of infection (Bae, 2020). The fear of contamination has initiated self‐protective/safety‐seeking behaviors, including social distancing, isolation, contactless shopping and payment, and increased reliance on technology to reduce direct human contact (Khatoon et al, 2023; Kim & Im, 2022; Mehrolia et al, 2020; Milaković, 2021; Saltzmann & Boenigk, 2022; Yap et al, 2021). In this vein, telemedicine has emerged as the best solution for obtaining remote health‐care services (Baudier et al, 2021; Smith et al, 2020).…”

“…However, there has been a notable absence of in‐depth investigation into consumers' concrete responses to crises, such as purposeful actions to avoid contamination with a deadly virus. Contamination avoidance represents a self‐protective measure adopted by consumers during health crises, influencing their behaviors, including shopping patterns (Khatoon et al, 2023; Kim & Im, 2022), engagement in mobile commerce (Chopdar et al, 2022), and participation in activities like blood donation (Saltzmann & Boenigk, 2022). Despite the potential significance of contamination avoidance as a motivational factor for IUTS, literature discussing contamination avoidance as a motivational stimulus remains scarce (Baudier et al, 2021).…”