How Does Online Engagement Drive Consumers' Webrooming Intention?

Abstract

Based on the cognitive-motivational-relational (CMR) theory, this study empirically investigates the mechanisms through which consumers' online engagement impacts their channel switching intention. The present study examines the mediating effects of perceived value and the ways in which these mediating effects are moderated by online risk perception. Data were collected from 428 online Indian consumers using systematic random sampling. The results of the structural and process macro analyses indicated that consumer online engagement has a significant impact on consumer online search benefits which in turn leads to webrooming intention. Also, perceived value mediated the effects of online search benefits and offline purchase benefits on webrooming intention. The results advance the theory of CMR by explaining consumer channel switching behaviour and are expected to help multi-channel retailers to identify the key drivers that help engage consumers online.