The role of flow consciousness in consumer regret

Abstract

PurposeThis research aims to identify whether subsequent consciousness of having been in a flow state – that is, flow consciousness – regarding an earlier impulse purchase affects consumers' post–purchase behaviours, specifically their feelings of consumer regret.Design/methodology/approachThe study applied a mixed methodology. First, the authors conducted two qualitative studies (focus groups) to establish the relationships between flow, flow consciousness and regret. Second, the authors conducted a quantitative study using data collected through an online questionnaire. Participants were asked to recall a recent shopping experience. To conduct confirmatory factor analysis, the authors gathered data from 304 consumers who had searched for, and purchased, a product on Amazon (www.amazon.com). Structural equation modelling, based on covariance, was used to test the hypotheses.FindingsFlow consciousness is found to reduce consumer regret after an impulse purchase.Practical implicationsOnline retailers should make consumers aware of the flow state they have experienced. Flow states lead to increased impulse buying, and if consumers are made aware that they were in a flow state, it may reduce any regret they feel after the purchase.Originality/valueThis is the first study to examine the effects of flow consciousness on consumer behaviour after an impulse purchase. In particular, research has not analysed the effects that flow consciousness has on negative feelings experienced after the impulse purchase of a product.

Utilitarian, hedonic, and self-esteem motives in online shopping

“…E-commerce has drastically changed the traditional buyer-seller relationship and the shopping process for many consumers (Flavi an-Blanco et al, 2011;Lo et al, 2016;Widyawati and Ariyanti, 2017). Today, in the digital era, consumers can browse and compare endless product catalogs, create wish lists and enjoy powerful features such as search and personalization and social networks (Barta et al, 2021b). In the context of online shopping, the utilitarian motive is related to the purchase of an object for its functional value, whereas the hedonic motive concerns the emotional experiences of the online shopping process itself (Fernandes et al, 2020).…”

“…Further, a study conducted in an online shopping context by Shahpasandi et al (2020) showed that flow experience and hedonic browsing significantly influence customers' impulsive buying. Simultaneously, (Barta et al, 2021b) asserted the significance of hedonic motive in enhancing the impulsive shopping tendency of the online shoppers based on the ease and comfort provided by the digital media channels. Therefore, the following is hypothesized:…”

How monetization mechanisms in mobile games influence consumers’ identity extensions

“…As such, the free-to-play business model per se is not harmful or conducive to player attrition, but instead ambiguous communication and aggressive monetization seem to be the main sources of negative implications. To ensure meaningful gameplay experiences, managers and game developers alike should gain in-depth understanding on why and for what purposes people play their games (see also Barta et al 2021 ). As one of the practitioner participants put it, mobile games—and digital services more broadly—need to create genuine value for the players to get them committed.…”

Factors that make a destination fascinating and motivate (re)visit

“…The resulting frequency was compared to the theoretical framework, thereby excluding the words that were not conceptualized. For a clear visualization of the distinctions between the main concepts found in the focus groups and the phrases that represent these concepts, the results are presented in tables, as suggested by Barta et al (2022). In the following section, the analysis reveals that all three focus groups answered similarly.…”