Consumer Motivation to Purchase Online During COVID-19 Pandemic: Extending Protection Motivation Theory

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed consumers' purchasing behavior from contact to intact consumerism. By integrating the protection motivation theory and the theory of planned behavior, this study investigates factors that motivate consumers to purchase online. Data were collected from an online survey among 481 consumers using self-administered questionnaires. The findings suggest that consumers may link protection motivation factors to attitude toward online purchasing. Further, attitude toward online purchasing, internal subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, and social distancing have significant relationships with intention to purchase online. Additionally, social distancing is a significant moderator in the relationship between attitude and intention to purchase online; indicating that consumers' adherence to social distancing moderates the relationship negatively. The purpose of this study is to examine how consumers perceived online purchasing as an adaptive behavior to respond to the highly contagious coronavirus through the combination of Protection Motivation Theory (PMT) with Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). Data were collected from an online survey among 481 consumers using self-administered questionnaires. The research found different factors that influence consumers' attitudes toward online purchasing and their intention to purchase online. The inclusion of social distancing adoption provides a unique comprehension of how much this situational factor affects consumers' intention to purchase online during a health crisis. The outcomes offer valuable insights for e-commerce marketers to better understand how to modify their offerings to address the most critical concerns of customers. In addition, recognizing that online purchasing can serve as an adaptive behavior for preventing virus infection can aid policymakers in enhancing their campaigns aimed at promoting the adoption of preventive behaviors.