Cognitive Dissonance In Online Shopping With Reference to Select Product Categories

Abstract

Online shopping is burgeoning exponentially due to the changing lifestyles. Consumer behavior in online shopping is complex and dynamic. Cognitive dissonance is a state of tension arising due to conflicting cognitions and is considered to be more prevalent in online shopping than in traditional offline shopping due to the high risks and uncertainty associated with online shopping. Excessive competition is driving switching behavior among the consumers causing huge losses to E-tailers. Growth in online shopping is driven by a loyal customer base. Cognitive dissonance may hamper satisfaction which may eventually impact post-purchase outcomes like repurchase intention and e-WOM. There is a lack of adequate research assessing the strength of these relationships in online shopping in an emerging market. Hence this study is important to understand the influencing factors of cognitive dissonance in online shopping and the impact of cognitive dissonance on satisfaction. An extensive literature review revealed a considerable gap in understanding the relevant factors influencing cognitive dissonance in online shopping. The study assessed the impact of satisfaction on repurchase intention and e-WOM. The study also addresses the research gap concerning the prevalence of cognitive dissonance in high and low-involvement products. The current study considers all the dimensions of cognitive dissonance i.e., emotional dimension, concern over the deal, and wisdom of purchase for measurement of cognitive dissonance. The study adopted a deductive research approach and a descriptive research design. The sample is derived from a multi-stage sampling technique. Self-administered questionnaires were used to collect primary data. The primary data was assessed using quantitative techniques. The findings revealed that product involvement has a significant influence on cognitive dissonance. Cognitive dissonance eventually impacts satisfaction. Satisfaction has the strongest influence on repurchase intention followed by e-WOM in online shopping. The findings are of value to E-tailing organizations as they are currently dealing with customer retention issues. The findings indicate that it is important to mitigate cognitive dissonance ias it is a precursor to dissatisfaction. As product involvement influences cognitive dissonance, E-tailers can accordingly create strategies to mitigate cognitive dissonance.