Information Search as Mediating Role in Relationship Hedonic Value, Utilitarian Value and Purchase Intention of Food Panda Customers in Pakistan

This study investigates the mediating role of information search within the relationships of hedonic values, utilitarian values, and purchase intention in Pakistan's online food industry with a focal sample of Food Panda customers. The questionnaire was distributed among 400 Food Panda users; 280 questionnaires were received. Smart PLS was used to conduct SEM to analyse the data. The results indicate that hedonic and utilitarian values have positive influences on purchase intention, which reflects that the higher the hedonic and utilitarian values are, the greater the intentions to purchase become, and vice versa. This study also supports information search as a partial mediator in the relationship between hedonic/utilitarian values and purchase intention. The findings reveal that customers who successfully go through information searching are likely to register higher hedonic and utilitarian motivations, which then dramatically increases their purchase intentions. The study contributes not only to the literature on hedonic and utilitarian values but also to the context of the Pakistani online food sector. It also enriches the discussion of information search as one of the pivotal factors affecting purchase intention within this industry.