Determinants of the online purchase intention: hedonic motivations, prices, information and trust

• Published in: Baltic journal of management Vol. 17; no. 1; pp. 56 - 71
• Main Authors: Pedro Espírito Santo, Alzira Maria Ascensão Marques
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bradford Emerald Group Publishing Limited 03.01.2022
• Subjects: Access to information; Consumer behavior; COVID-19; Electronic commerce; Emotions; Fraud; Information dissemination; Loyalty; Marketing; Multivariate statistical analysis; Pandemics; Prices; Purchase intention; Purchasing; Shopping; Shops; Structural models; Websites
• ISSN: 1746-5265; 1746-5273
• DOI: 10.1108/BJM-04-2021-0140

PurposeThe Internet has changed the nature of purchasing, proof of this being the proliferation of e-commerce sites which have seen their activity grow more quickly due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, the authors aim to investigate the impact of the consumer's hedonic motivations, price, access to information and trust on the online purchase intention.Design/methodology/approachA quantitative, transversal study of a conclusive nature was carried out. Based on information gathered through a questionnaire administered to a sample of 750 online purchasers, a structural equation model was estimated.FindingsThe results showed that the intention to continue purchasing in online shops is partly explained by access to information online, hedonic motivations and trust in e-commerce sites. It stands out that online information generates trust, and the perception of online prices does not influence loyalty but has a positive influence on hedonic motivations.Research limitations/implicationsAlthough some constructs were ignored, for example, the integration of channels, experiential marketing and the fear of fraud, including unauthorised use of personal details, the study shows that easy access to useful information about products, prices, promotions is an important antecedent of online purchase.Practical implicationsOnline shop managers should pay special attention to e-commerce websites, and the information provided there should explore consumer's hedonic motivations for adventure. Furthermore, it is fundamental to create trust in order to maintain the interest in online shopping.Originality/valueThe estimation of the structural model in the context of online shopping includes the influence of utilitarian motivations (price and access to information), which offer a rational experience and also include emotional motivations (hedonic adventure motivations) on the intention to buy online. The results also revealed that it plays an important role to promote online trust and online loyalty.