Consumer Intention towards Webrooming Behavior in Emerging Economies: A Conceptual Framework based on Behavioral Reasoning Theory

Abstract

Purpose: Recent research about consumer webrooming behavior has conferred the importance and wide prevalence of this behavior and indicates the impelling need for the exploration of this emerging phenomenon in the omni-channel retail environment. The purpose of this study is to understand consumers’ reasons related to channel attributes, acting as determinants and resistance factors for the consumers’ intention towards webrooming behavior, based on the framework of the Behavioral Reasoning Theory (BRT). Design/Methodology/Approach: Using the framework of BRT, postulations related to webrooming behavior have been proposed. The postulations are based on the literature review on webrooming conduct in the omnichannel shopping scenario. Findings: The proposed model imparts understanding about webrooming behavior on the basis of consumers’ reasoning and values underlying their attitude and intention towards webrooming behavior to provide a comprehensive view for understanding webrooming behavior in omni-channel retail environment. Implications/Originality/Value: This study contributes to the literature on the important research area of changing consumer buying behavior due to transforming retail structure, herein, the webrooming behavior, in the context of omni-channel retailing, in emerging economies.