How does convenience drive consumers' webrooming intention?

Abstract

Purpose

The aim of this study is to evaluate the impact of convenience on banking consumers' webrooming intention. To fulfil this objective, this study empirically investigates how convenience impacts consumers' webrooming intention, using a comprehensive moderated–mediation framework. The study investigates the mediating effects of perceived hedonic values and perceived utilitarian values and how these mediating effects are moderated by consumers' perceived security concerns.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected using a questionnaire-based offline survey from 534 banking users in India, using systematic sampling. The covariance-based structural equation modelling and PROCESS macro were used to examine the hypotheses.

Findings

The results indicated that access convenience, search convenience, benefit convenience and post-benefit convenience have a crucial impact on consumers' webrooming intention. The perceived hedonic values and perceived utilitarian values mediate the effects of convenience dimensions on webrooming intention, and mediation effects varied between high and low levels of consumers' perceived security concern.

Research limitations/implications

This study was conducted in India using cross-sectional data. The proposed model can be replicated in other countries using longitudinal data for generalising the findings.

Practical implications

The study's findings will help banks identify how to enhance convenience to manage channel-switching behaviour.

Originality/value

“Webrooming”, a key channel-switching concern in a multichannel banking context is investigated by examining the impact of convenience dimensions.

Citation

Shankar, A. (2021), "How does convenience drive consumers' webrooming intention?", International Journal of Bank Marketing, Vol. 39 No. 2, pp. 312-336. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJBM-03-2020-0143