EXPLAINING CONSUMERS' CHANNEL-SWITCHING BEHAVIOR USING THE THEORY OF PLANNED BEHAVIOR

Abstract This exploratory study examined channel-switching behavior using the theory of planned behavior in three retail channels: bricks-and-mortar stores, catalogs, and the Internet. This theory assumes that individual attitudes and beliefs, along with subjective norms and control factors, will lead to an intention to perform a certain behavior, whether to switch channels or not. An online survey was administered at four different research sites and resulted in 547 usable surveys. Factor analysis and regression were used for data analysis. Attitude towards channel-switching was significantly influenced by hedonic and utilitarian beliefs in stores and catalogs. However, in the case of the Internet channel, attitude towards channel-switching was only influenced by utilitarian beliefs. Normative beliefs negatively influenced subjective norms in all the channels. Self-efficacy, information, and product type were important factors that impacted perceived behavioral control (PBC) in all channels. Time influenced PBC only in catalogs, and money did not influence PBC in any of the channels. Attitude and subjective norms influenced channel-switching intentions for three channels, whereas PBC was a significant predictor for channel-switching intention for only catalogs and the Internet.

[1]  Glenn B. Voss,et al.  The Influence of Multiple Store Environment Cues on Perceived Merchandise Value and Patronage Intentions , 2002 .

[2]  Mary Jo Bitner,et al.  Technology infusion in service encounters , 2000 .

[3]  Jason E. Lueg,et al.  Interpersonal Communication in the Consumer Socialization Process: Scale Development and Validation , 2007 .

[4]  A. H. Church.  ESTIMATING THE EFFECT OF INCENTIVES ON MAIL SURVEY RESPONSE RATES: A META-ANALYSIS , 1993 .

[5]  Cynthia R. Jasper,et al.  Social cues in the store environment and their impact on store image , 2006 .

[6]  Icek Ajzen,et al.  Explaining the Discrepancy between Intentions and Actions: The Case of Hypothetical Bias in Contingent Valuation , 2004, Personality & social psychology bulletin.

[7]  Jeanne Cavanaugh.  To web or not to web , 1996, SIGUCCS '96.

[8]  Mary Ann Eastlick,et al.  An online prepurchase intentions model: The role of intention to search , 2001 .

[9]  Chiou Js,et al.  Antecedents and moderators of behavioral intention: differences between U.S. and Taiwanese students. , 2000 .

[10]  Leo R. Vijayasarathy,et al.  Product characteristics and Internet shopping intentions , 2002, Internet Res..

[11]  Thomas J. Johnson,et al.  Research Methodology: Taming the Cyber Frontier , 1999 .

[12]  B. L. Driver,et al.  Application of the Theory of Planned Behavior to Leisure Choice. , 1992 .

[13]  Merlin Stone,et al.  Multichannel customer management: The benefits and challenges , 2002 .

[14]  Jihyun Kim,et al.  A consumer shopping channel extension model: attitude shift toward the online store , 2005 .

[15]  Girish Punj,et al.  Information search and consideration set formation in a web-based store environment , 2009 .

[16]  Peter A. Todd,et al.  Understanding Information Technology Usage: A Test of Competing Models , 1995, Inf. Syst. Res..

[17]  V. Kumar,et al.  Who are the multichannel shoppers and how do they perform?: Correlates of multichannel shopping behavior , 2005 .

[18]  R. Feinberg,et al.  E-tailers versus retailers , 2004 .

[19]  K. Ruyter,et al.  What drives consumers to shop online? A literature review , 2004 .

[20]  D. Katz.  THE FUNCTIONAL APPROACH TO THE STUDY OF ATTITUDES , 1960 .

[21]  Jacquelyn S. Thomas,et al.  Challenges and Opportunities in Multichannel Customer Management , 2006 .

[22]  M. Traugott,et al.  Web survey design and administration. , 2001, Public opinion quarterly.

[23]  Richard G. Netemeyer,et al.  Measurement of Consumer Susceptibility to Interpersonal Influence , 1989 .

[24]  V. Mahajan,et al.  Consumers in a multichannel environment: Product utility, process utility, and channel choice , 2005 .

[25]  E. Hirschman,et al.  Hedonic Consumption: Emerging Concepts, Methods and Propositions , 1982 .

[26]  Edward E. Rigdon,et al.  Experiential value: Conceptualization, measurement and application in the catalog and Internet shopping environment. , 2001 .

[27]  I. Ajzen,et al.  Attitudinal and normative variables as predictors of specific behavior. , 1973 .

[28]  Arvind Rangaswamy,et al.  Opportunities and challenges in multichannel marketing: An introduction to the special issue , 2005 .

[29]  D. Chan,et al.  Reexamining the Theory of Planned Behavior in Understanding Wastepaper Recycling , 1999 .

[30]  I. Ajzen.  Perceived behavioral control, self-efficacy, locus of control, and the theory of planned behavior. , 2002 .

[31]  R. Ferber.  Research By Convenience , 1977 .

[32]  Soyeon Shim,et al.  Consumer Intention to Purchase Apparel by Mail Order: Beliefs, Attitude, and Decision Process Variables , 1990 .

[33]  Shirley Taylor,et al.  Decomposition and crossover effects in the theory of planned behavior: A study of consumer adoption intentions , 1995 .

[34]  Fang Gao,et al.  An empirical study of online shopping customer satisfaction in China: a holistic perspective , 2008 .

[35]  T. Tideman,et al.  Discrimination by Waiting Time in Merit Goods , 1971 .

[36]  Terry L. Childers,et al.  HEDONIC AND UTILITARIAN MOTIVATIONS FOR ONLINE RETAIL SHOPPING BEHAVIOR , 2001 .

[37]  Sebastian van Baal,et al.  Free riding and customer retention across retailers’ channels , 2005 .

[38]  Michael J. Ryan,et al.  Fishbein's Intentions Model: A Test of External and Pragmatic Validity , 1980 .

[39]  E. Hirschman.  Predictors of Self-Projection, Fantasy Fulfillment, and Escapism , 1983 .

[40]  H. Marmorstein,et al.  The Value of Time Spent in Price-Comparison Shopping: Survey and Experimental Evidence , 1992 .

[41]  R. Dholakia,et al.  Switching to electronic stores: consumer characteristics and the perception of shopping benefits , 2002 .

[42]  Kenneth C. Gehrt,et al.  A Shopping Orientation Segmentation of French Consumers: Implications for Catalog Marketing , 1998 .

[43]  Blair H. Sheppard,et al.  The Theory of Reasoned Action: A Meta-Analysis of Past Research with Recommendations for Modifications and Future Research , 1988 .

[44]  Elliot Bendoly,et al.  Online/In-Store Integration and Customer Retention , 2005 .

[45]  R. Bagozzi.  A Field Investigation of Causal Relations among Cognitions, Affect, Intentions, and Behavior , 1982 .

[46]  Jihye Park,et al.  Online visual merchandising practice of apparel e-merchants , 2005 .

[47]  Marianne C. Bickle,et al.  Consumers' uniqueness in home décor: Retail channel choice behaviour , 2006 .

[48]  Rajendra S. Sisodia,et al.  Consumer behavior in the future. , 1997 .

[49]  Paul A. Pavlou,et al.  Understanding and Predicting Electronic Commerce Adoption: An Extension of the Theory of Planned Behavior , 2006, MIS Q..

[50]  P. Patterson,et al.  A cross-cultural study of switching barriers and propensity to stay with service providers , 2003 .

[51]  E. Langer,et al.  Crowding and cognitive control. , 1977 .

[52]  Christopher J. Armitage,et al.  From attitudes to behaviour: Basic and applied research on the theory of planned behaviour , 2003 .

[53]  W A Fisher,et al.  Changing AIDS-risk behavior. , 1992, Psychological bulletin.

[54]  Denish Shah,et al.  Managing retailer profitability - one customer at a time! , 2006 .

[55]  B. Bernheim,et al.  A Theory of Conformity , 1994, Journal of Political Economy.

[56]  I. Ajzen,et al.  Choice of Travel Mode in the Theory of Planned Behavior: The Roles of Past Behavior, Habit, and Reasoned Action , 2003 .

[57]  Donna L. Mohr,et al.  Multiple Regression , 2002, Encyclopedia of Autism Spectrum Disorders.

[58]  A. Notani.  Moderators of Perceived Behavioral Control's Predictiveness in the Theory of Planned Behavior: A Meta-Analysis , 1998 .

[59]  Jihye Park,et al.  Multichannel retailing in Korea , 2006 .

[60]  K. Reynolds,et al.  Hedonic shopping motivations , 2003 .

[61]  Edward E. Rigdon,et al.  The effect of dynamic retail experiences on experiential perceptions of value: an Internet and catalog comparison , 2002 .

[62]  R. Olshavsky,et al.  A Protocol Analysis of Brand Choice Strategies Involving Recommendations , 1987 .

[63]  H. Bansal,et al.  Investigating interactive effects in the theory of planned behavior in a service‐provider switching context , 2002 .

[64]  S. Arnold,et al.  More than a Labor of Love: Gender Roles and Christmas Gift Shopping , 1990 .

[65]  R. Oliver,et al.  Assessing the Dimensionality and Structure of the Consumption Experience: Evaluation, Feeling, and Satisfaction , 1993 .

[66]  James R. Brown,et al.  Scientific Method and Retailing Research: A Retrospective , 2008 .

[67]  David A. Griffith,et al.  Consumer derived utilitarian value and channel utilization in a multi-channel retail context , 2005 .

[68]  R. Dhar,et al.  Consumer Choice between Hedonic and Utilitarian Goods , 2000 .

[69]  I. Ajzen,et al.  Understanding Attitudes and Predicting Social Behavior , 1980 .

[70]  Daniel Goersch,et al.  Multi-channel Integration And Its Implications For Retail Web Sites , 2002, ECIS.

[71]  I. Ajzen,et al.  A Comparison of the Theory of Planned Behavior and the Theory of Reasoned Action , 1992 .

[72]  I. Ajzen.  Constructing a TpB Questionnaire: Conceptual and Methodological Considerations , 2002 .

[73]  P. Gollwitzer.  Goal Achievement: The Role of Intentions , 1993 .

[74]  Albert Bandura,et al.  Much ado over a faulty conception of perceived self-efficacy grounded in faulty experimentation , 2007 .

[75]  I. Ajzen,et al.  Prediction of goal directed behaviour: Attitudes, intentions and perceived behavioural control , 1986 .

[76]  R. E. Burnkrant,et al.  Informational and Normative Social Influence in Buyer Behavior , 1975 .

[77]  Peter H. Bloch,et al.  Shopping Without Purchase: an Investigation of Consumer Browsing Behavior , 1983 .

[78]  P. Chisnall.  Mail and Internet Surveys: The Tailored Design Method , 2007, Journal of Advertising Research.

[79]  Jennifer E. Rowley,et al.  Consumer behaviour in multi-channel contexts: the case of a theatre festival , 2008, Internet Res..

[80]  William R. Darden,et al.  Work and/or Fun: Measuring Hedonic and Utilitarian Shopping Value , 1994 .

[81]  K. Evans,et al.  The impact of social influence and role expectations on shopping center patronage intentions , 1996 .

[82]  James Reardon,et al.  A consumer model for channel switching behavior , 2002 .

[83]  Aron M. Levin,et al.  Product Category Dependent Consumer Preferences for Online and Offline Shopping Features and Their Influence on Multi-Channel Retail Alliances , 2003, J. Electron. Commer. Res..

[84]  R. Feinberg,et al.  The Impact of Electronic Commerce as a Mode of Product Purchase on Consumer Retail Shopping Alternatives , 2004 .

[85]  R. Bagozzi.  The self-regulation of attitudes, intentions, and behavior , 1992 .

[86]  Gaston Godin,et al.  The Theory of Planned Behavior: Some Measurement Issues Concerning Belief-Based Variables , 2000 .

[87]  Maria Madlberger,et al.  Exogenous and Endogenous Antecedents of Online Shopping in a Multichannel Environment: Evidence from a Catalog Retailer in the German-Speaking World , 2006, J. Electron. Commer. Organ..

[88]  Stephen R. Porter,et al.  The Impact of Contact Type on Web Survey Response Rates , 2003 .

[89]  Jason W. Osbourne,et al.  Four Assumptions of Multiple Regression That Researchers Should Always Test. , 2002 .

[90]  Victor R. Prybutok,et al.  Consumer Acceptance of RFID Technology: An Exploratory Study , 2008, IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management.

[91]  Jaishankar Ganesh,et al.  Retail patronage behavior and shopper typologies: a replication and extension using a multi-format, multi-method approach , 2007 .

[92]  Jonathan W. Palmer,et al.  Electronic Commerce in Retailing: Differences Across Retail Formats , 1997, Inf. Soc..

[93]  Natalie R. Collins,et al.  Multichannel retailing: profiling the multichannel shopper , 2007 .

[94]  Alok Gupta,et al.  An Empirical Study of Consumer Switching from Traditional to Electronic Channels: A Purchase-Decision Process Perspective , 2004, Int. J. Electron. Commer..

[95]  P. Sinha,et al.  Store Format Choice in an Evolving Market - A TPB Approach , 2008 .

[96]  J. J. F. Sherry.  A Sociocultural Analysis of a Midwestern American Flea Market , 1990 .

[97]  M. Blakemore,et al.  'One brand, three ways to shop': situational variables and multichannel consumer behaviour , 2002 .

[98]  I. Ajzen.  Nature and operation of attitudes. , 2001, Annual review of psychology.

[99]  William S. Sekely,et al.  Retail attributes: Influence on shopping mode choice behavior. , 1994 .

[100]  T. Oum,et al.  Determinant Attributes in Retail Patronage: Seasonal, Temporal, Regional, and International Comparisons , 1983 .

[101]  Marisa Salanova,et al.  Computer training, frequency of usage and burnout: the moderating role of computer self-efficacy , 2000 .

[102]  J. W. Hutchinson,et al.  Dimensions of Consumer Expertise , 1987 .

[103]  Terence A. Shimp,et al.  The Theory of Reasoned Action Applied to Coupon Usage , 1984 .

[104]  Peter A. Todd,et al.  Consumer Reactions to Electronic Shopping on the World Wide Web , 1996, Int. J. Electron. Commer..

[105]  Sidney J. Levy,et al.  The dark side of the gift , 1993 .

[106]  M. Conner,et al.  Efficacy of the Theory of Planned Behaviour: a meta-analytic review. , 2001, The British journal of social psychology.

[107]  A. Bandura.  Self-efficacy: toward a unifying theory of behavioral change. , 1977, Psychology Review.

[108]  Raymond R. Burke.  Technology and the customer interface: What consumers want in the physical and virtual store , 2002 .

[109]  Stephen J. Arnold,et al.  Organizational legitimacy and retail store patronage , 1996 .

[110]  Icek Ajzen,et al.  Attitudes, personality, and behavior / Icek Ajzen , 1988 .

[111]  I. Ajzen.  The theory of planned behavior , 1991 .

[112]  A. Bandura.  Self-efficacy mechanism in human agency , 2024, Psihologìâ ì suspìlʹstvo.

[113]  Alan J. Dubinsky,et al.  The theory of planned behavior in e-commerce: Making a case for interdependencies between salient beliefs , 2005 .

[114]  David W. Wallace,et al.  Customer retailer loyalty in the context of multiple channel strategies , 2004 .

[115]  L. Burns,et al.  Attitudinal Versus Normative Influence in the Purchase of Brand‐Name Casual Apparel , 1996 .

[116]  M. Strahilevitz,et al.  Probability and Mode of Acquisition Effects on Choices Between Hedonic and Utilitarian Options , 2001 .

[117]  I. Ajzen,et al.  Belief, Attitude, Intention, and Behavior: An Introduction to Theory and Research , 1977 .

[118]  M. Holbrook,et al.  On the conceptual link between mass customisation and experiential consumption: an explosion of subjectivity , 2001 .

[119]  Charles D. Barrett.  Understanding Attitudes and Predicting Social Behavior , 1980 .

[120]  A. E. Crowley,et al.  Measuring the hedonic and utilitarian dimensions of attitudes toward product categories , 1992 .

[121]  R. Batra,et al.  Measuring the hedonic and utilitarian sources of consumer attitudes , 1991 .